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Published on 07/28/1999 All articles from this issue

Festival organizers cite successes, despite hot days, smaller crowd

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By Clyde Noel

Special to the Town Crier

Despite lower-than-expected attendance at the 20th annual Los Altos Arts & Wine Festival, held July 10 and 11, organizers were upbeat about several aspects of this year's event.

Linda Ronberg, from Linden Tree Children's Records and Books, said the KIDZONE and the Kids Stage, which she and husband, Dennis, helped put on, were more popular than ever and better attended.

"They provided a cover over the kids' area this year and the shade was very popular with kids," Ronberg said.

Kathleen Byrne, executive director of Los Altos Village Association, which puts on the festival, said the numbers are not in yet, but she said the festival was "a big success."

"The entertainment was superb this year, the KIDZONE a lot of fun and the beer classes went over big time," Byrne said.

Linda Bartell, Los Altos Village Association (LAVA) office manager, said the crowds were down this year compared to other years.

"On Saturday, people stayed home to watch the (World Cup) women's soccer final, and on Sunday, the weather was so hot, it bothered everybody," Bartell said. "We just didn't have as many people as other years."

A call to the police department confirmed that the attendance was less than previous events. Festivals in recent years have drawn between 100,000 and 150,000, according to the Village Association.

An estimated crowd count was not yet available at press time for this year's festival.

Some participants said the heat determined whether a booth was successful in selling its product.

Booths with filling food items such as Polish sausage and pizza did not do as well as booths selling drinks and other cold refreshments. And some vendors took advantage. Lemonade, for instance, was selling for $3 a cup.

Sam Harding, president of the Los Altos Rotary Club, said the club's sales of cold Chinese chicken salad were better than last year, although he added final expenses have not yet been totaled.

Several downtown merchants were pleased with the city's request that they not serve food on the sidewalk.

Nick Testa, owner of the Italian Deli, has sold food on the sidewalk in past years, but this year he stayed inside and said he did well.

"It made it an even playing field for all of us," he said.

One merchant, who asked not to be identified, cited too many food booths, which he said made it difficult for vendors with the same foods to profit.

Volunteers from the Los Altos Kiwanis Club have been selling Polish sausage for years.

Kiwanian Walter Chronert said he can remember when the Kiwanis club made more than $6,000 at the festival.

He estimated this year's take at around $2,000.

"Some commercial food vendors have more than one booth at the festival," Chronert said.