VOTMA Fiesta promises fun, food and Folklorico
Have you saved August 20 on your calendar? That’s the day of VOTMA’s (Valley of the Moon Alliance) 4th annual summer fundraiser at Kenwood Plaza Park. This year’s event is a Family Fiesta with lots of music, a special dance performance by the Ballet Folklorico troupe, great silent auction items, a variety of raffle items (your ticket stub enters you in the raffle), piñatas for the kids, and an authentic South of the Border buffet.
This year’s event honors our Valley’s Mexican heritage. Strolling Mariachis will entertain guests during the 3-7 p.m. celebration of family, friends, community and the beauty of the Valley of the Moon. On stage, the Ballet Folklorico troupe will perform authentic Mexican dances. This fantastic group of elementary through high school students from Geyserville will be dressed in brightly colored costumes from 12 different regions of Mexico.
We have been scouring the hills and valleys for some great silent auction items. While you are listening to the mariachis and talking with friends, you will be able to bid on dinners from fine restaurants in the Valley, the Bay Area and Los Angeles, a variety of lodging options, more than 20 lots of the best wines from Sonoma County wineries, special beauty and spa treatments, unusual gardening items, paintings and other fine art pieces by local area artists, and much more. Please check our website after August 1 for a complete list of our silent auction items. In addition, there will be a small number of special items offered during a live auction.
While the adults are busy with the silent auction, the kids will have several chances to break open one of the piñatas. The piñatas will contain some fun gifts and gift certificates for the younger set.
Another highlight of the day will be an authentic South of the Border buffet. Chef Steve Rose and his worthy assistants will prepare several authentic salads and vegetable platos to accompany main courses of fire roasted chickens and slow cooked Barons of Beef. Ranchero rice and frijoles refritos will be there along with made-to-order tortillas and a spicy array of salsas frescas!
Tickets are $30 in advance (by August 13) and $40 thereafter (including at the park). Child’s plates are $10 for kids 11 and under. When you get to the park, don’t forget to deposit the raffle stub from your ticket (raffle drawing box will be in the Silent Auction tent) to be eligible for numerous door prizes that will be given away during the Fiesta. Get there early for the Fiesta Hour (3-4 p.m.) featuring Colleen’s world famous MARGARITAS. Beer, wine, soft drinks and bottled water will be available for purchase during the Fiesta. VOTMA is a non-profit organization (Tax ID 80-0038375). Your ticket price and auction purchases are tax deductible within the guidelines of the law.
Tickets can be purchased at the Kenwood Press, Swede’s Feeds and Vineyards Inn in Kenwood and at the Oakmont Village Grocery in Oakmont. Please check the VOTMA website (www.votma.org/fiesta2005) for additional locations or call 707-833-6695 to order tickets by phone. A mail-in form is also included in this issue of the Kenwood Press (see page 6).
The Kenwood Plaza Park is located on Warm Springs Road, just off Highway 12 at Los Guilicos.
If you have auction items that you would like to donate, please contact Alec Vance at 707-833-6518.
The Valley of the Moon Alliance was formed to promote the preservation, protection and maintenance of the agricultural character, natural resources and rural beauty of the Valley of the Moon in Sonoma County. We are committed to providing a forum for research, information, education and recommendations on projects that affect the environmental qualities of the valley communities. For further information, please see our website at www.votma.org or call our hotline at 707-833-6695.
