User:Capitola Begonia Festival

Capitola Begonia Festival Celebrated in the seaside village of Capitola, California, the Capitola Begonia Festival can trace its deepest roots to the 1890s, when the Soquel Creek was dammed to form “Laguna di Capitola,” a summer pool shaped for the enjoyment of beach vacationers. The practice of creating a seasonal lagoon became so entrenched that by the 1920s, the pond was identified on resort maps as “Lake Capitola.” Begonias made their appearance on the creek in the early 1950s, when a series of water carnival events were originated by Peggy Slatter Matthews. A professional swimmer who once performed with the Billy Rose Aquacade in San Francisco, Matthews used flowers to beautify the rafts used for aquatic feats of the “Capitola Water Fantasy.” When decorated floats were added to the late summer pageant in 1952, the begonia festival was launched. Capitola residents Vivian Benias and Helen Antonelli decided two years later to start the official Begonia Festival as a weekend celebration focused on the colorful blossoms that were grown locally at Antonelli’s Begonia Gardens, Vetterle and Reinelt Hybridizing Gardens, and Brown’s Bulb Ranch. Seen by a crowd of more than 5,000 spectators, the inaugural event made use of 35,000 end-of-season flowers. Initially sponsored by the Capitola Businessmen’s Association and then the Chamber of Commerce, the festival experimented in its early years with a number of events, including an annual queen coronation. Eventually, Rowboat Races, Sand Sculpture Contest, Fishing Derby and the celebrated Nautical Parade emerged as annual classics.

An all-volunteer committee of local residents now plan the event, which draws nearly 40,000 visitors. The Capitola Begonia Festival Committee relies on sponsorships and fundraising to bring four days of "Fun, Family-friendly & Free" events to Capitola Village each Labor Day Weekend. Celebrating its 60th year in 2012, Capitola Begonia Festival boasts 14 events with the addition of Art events, music, a movie on the beach, Horseshoes Tournament and hat decorating.

Capitola Begonia Festival Principles: 1. Longstanding tradition rooted in Capitola history of begonia growers, water festivals and parades 2. Building  community spirit with 100% volunteer staffing and local business partnerships through the 'in-kind' and cash sponsorship program 3. Encourage community participation and stimulate tourism through a general celebration of the Capitola Community 4. FUN, FAMILY-FRIENDLY, and FREE events including all movie and concert selections 5. Non-commercial event focused on bringing additional patronage to local businesses 6. Striving to be environmentally conscious in operations and event planning 7. Offer opportunities to develop and recognize local talent in annual poster artwork and events that promote the arts

About the Pacific Begonia: The homespun Capitola Begonia Festival has its roots in the moist, cool coastal climate of Santa Cruz County, California, which is eminently hospitable to the tuberous begonia. Major begonia growers were located in Capitola and Santa Cruz in the mid-20th Century, and a festival in late summer--when the begonias are in spectacular bloom--was a natural way to extend the late-summer coastal tourist season. The 'Pacific Begonia', as it is known, was hybridized in Capitola. At the turn of the Century, the Brown family immigrated to Capitola. They tried for years to develop some sort of sustainable agriculture to assure their survival in this sparsely populated, primarily tourist area called 'Camp Capitola'. Obtaining Begonia bulbs from Germany, who bragged of 'the best flowers', and Begonia tubers from Belgium, who claimed 'the strongest tubers', the Browns cross-bred the 2 varieties, and developed the Pacific Begonia. From the 1930's to the 1970's, approx 90% of the worlds Begonias came from the Brown Bulb Ranch in Capitola.