By Lori BODNAR

Montrose was bustling with people admiring and purchasing unique, artistic and handmade items at the 37^th Annual Montrose Arts and Crafts Festival held Oct. 23-24 in the Montrose Shopping Park. Street performers and live musicians captivated the public who strolled along Honolulu Avenue and Oceanview Boulevard. The event is one of the longest running of its type in California, and the largest in Glendale. On Sunday, the weekly Montrose Harvest Market was also part of the Arts and Crafts Festival.

Art, candles, soap, jewelry, textiles, crafts, baked goods and unique handmade items, such as those made from recycled materials, were available in nearly 300 different vendor booths. Some artisans were local, while others traveled to the arts and crafts event from as far away as New Mexico or Arizona.

On Saturday, live music included The Ploughboys and Mojo Filter Blues Band. On Sunday, rousing tunes were played by Ticket to Ride Beatles Tribute Band and, for those who missed them on Saturday, The Ploughboys were featured again. The Ploughboys musicians wore traditional kilts and played Irish/Celtic music, folk songs, jigs, reels, bluegrass and even pirate songs!

In addition to the live music and food (favorites included Tornado Potatoes, pupusas, bacon-wrapped hot dogs, waffles-on-a-stick, toasted corn-on-a-stick, snow cones and kettle corn), there were other activities and family fun for all ages. Patrons of the Montrose Arts and Crafts Festival found a wine and beer garden for adults only plus pony rides, a petting zoo and face-painting for children. A quilt raffle only cost a dollar to enter with proceeds going to charities like the Salvation Army.

But it was the shopping that was the big draw. A plethora of arts and crafts could be found on every corner, including paintings, 3D cartography maps, painted teapots, painted nesting dolls, relaxing hammock swings, purses, jewelry, succulents in artistic pots, carved wooden items, glow-in-the-dark craft butterflies, wind chimes, unique clothing, cookies, cupcakes, bread, honey, hats, fancy wood pens, ornaments, soap, Halloween-themed items and more.

Some artisans used recycled materials to create their masterpieces for sale. One vendor sold wind chimes made from silverware, while another offered wind chimes crafted from colorful glass bottles. In one booth, musical instruments were available, made with recycled materials that included a steel tongue drum fashioned from an empty, upside-down propane tank.

Andre Ordubegian is president of the Montrose Shopping Park Association.

“We followed all health department rules and regulations,” he said. “The Montrose Arts and Craft Festival was a two-day event and people thoroughly enjoyed it,” Ordubegian said. “I am very happy the festival is back again after being postponed in 2020 due to COVID. Montrose is a unique place that people truly love, especially for shopping and dining at our local businesses. The Arts and Crafts Festival is designed to support merchants and the unique businesses in Montrose. The events we organize encourage visitors to come to our community. People like the atmosphere and that is why [they] want to come here.”

The Festival is historically held in June and there were some concerns about having it in the fall.

We have never done a Montrose Arts and Crafts Festival in the fall, before the holidays, until now,” said Dale Dawson, event coordinator of the Montrose Shopping Park Association. “The timing and weather were great. In previous years, people went home earlier when it got hot. This year, people were here for the whole day since the weather was cooler. It was a very successful event for the vendors. It has been 2½ years since we had a Montrose Arts and Crafts Festival. It was postponed in 2019 and 2020.

“I am very happy to have [it] back again. The community needed it. It was healing for everyone. The Festival was good for the public, vendors and the bands. People could see friends and family. The Festival benefits the merchants and there was a lot of foot traffic for the local businesses. It was well attended with a lot of fine artists this year.”

Vendors seemed to enjoy interacting with the community as much as people enjoyed seeing them. Susan Spohr, Debby McBride and Barbara Hannegan own Violets and Roses. Their booth featured all types of handmade items, from paintings, painted teapots, ornaments, a painted rocking horse, greeting cards, vases and other ceramics.

“Everything was bought blank – brand new – and we painted them,” Spohr said. “Painting the items and making the handmade ceramics is a process.”

Hannegan added, “This is our first time having our business displayed at the Montrose Arts and Crafts Festival. We are so excited to have a booth here. There has been a steady stream of people and the Festival is well organized. It is fun seeing all the people and the dogs. Sales are going well.”

Glenn Baker was another vendor. He sold items made with exotic hardwoods, including ebony, zebrawood, bloodwood, Indian rosewood, and lacewood, from all over the world. Unique cutting boards, cheese board hearts, Lazy Susans, coasters, jewelry boxes, crosses, charcuterie boards and cardholders were for sale.

Yvonne Betts traveled all the way from Las Vegas to sell her glow-in-the-dark butterflies, metal butterflies, art prints and butterfly keychains. Betts’ business is appropriately named Flutter Gallery.

“It is my first time participating in the Montrose Arts and Crafts Festival and it is not my last,” she said. “The people have been very nice and the weather has been great. I had lots of customers.”

Veronica Montano, whose business is Dulce Cielo Cookies & Cupcakes, is a repeat vendor at the Festival. She sold a variety of cupcakes and cookies.

“It has been slightly busier this year than previous years,” she said. “People are more eager to attend since the pandemic. My sales are good. I like interacting with people and seeing kids smile when they get their favorite cupcake or cookie.”

Nicole Herman has gone to the Montrose Arts and Crafts Festival every year it has been held.

“It is awesome to see people at the Montrose Arts and Crafts Festival,” she said. “I bought a lot of prints and jewelry, and I paid for my father’s shirt to be made into an apron at the custom clothing shop.”

The Festival offered something for everyone. This was the first year that Bronson and Ellory Edwards attended. Bronson is in sixth grade at Monte Vista Elementary School.

“I enjoyed the different kinds of art at the festival,” he said.

Ellory also attends Monte Vista. She is in the fourth grade.

“I enjoyed seeing the different artists and art,” she said. “I especially liked the epoxy resin painting.”

Dulce Cielo photo by Lori BODNAR

Montrose resident Rendel Leatherman and Jillian Szafranski are all smiles.
Photo by Ruth SOWBY

Entertainer Manin White, all in white, provided live music.
Photo by Ruth SOWBY