Fruitful festival

Changes at this year’s “Meet Me In Mill Creek” festival on July 9 didn’t interfere with the musical entertainment, food, or arts and crafts the event had to offer. In fact, for many of the festival attendees and organizers, changes made to the community event just made it better.

“This is way more than I envisioned this would be,” Linda Martin, festival committee chair said. “As I did the map (of the festival) there were just tiny little boxes but today they’re people, they’re products, they’re services … I’m really pleased with the whole thing.”

In the past, the festival took place in five areas throughout the city, making it necessary for attendees to drive from one shopping center to another if they wished to experience the festival in its entirety. However, under the direction of the Mill Creek Business Association and the city of Mill Creek, this year’s festival was presented as a street fair, with various booths lined up along 161st Street SW., as well as a section of Mill Creek Boulevard.

“I’ve been doing this for the last four years and this is the best yet,” said Sven Mogelgaard, owner of Byte Slaves Computing, noting that the festival’s single location was a significant improvement over previous years.

Martin and other festival staff began the day in the early morning hours, presiding over road closures beginning at 5 a.m., the arrival of vendors, and the set up of booths and entertainment stages. By 9 a.m., a total of 58 commercial vendors, more than 30 crafters and 15 non-profit agencies were ready to greet festival attendees.

The Snohomish Artist Guild and Mill Creek Arts Foundation publicized the festival to artists, helping in the creation of arts and crafts booths and the booking of musical entertainment. Applause Studio provided musical entertainment and supervised the talent line-up for the performance stage, including performances by Tim Noah, Cyndi Soup, harpist Sara Reyna, Dudes and Dolls Square Dancing Club and the Fidgety Feet Jazz Band.

“The entertainment seems like it was going well on all stages,” Debra Galteland, co-owner of Applause Studios observed. “Everyone seems to be in good moods and excited about the nice weather. We put up a cover for rain and we have a cover for sunshine instead.”

Canyon Creek Church managed Kid’s Corner, which offered two giant-sized inflatables, various arts and crafts and a stage for “stupid human tricks” and creative “hamster dance” moves. Fire District 7 also participated in the festivities by giving children the chance to take a look at an ambulance or fire engine to learn about fire safety.

Patrick Santiago, a Mill Creek resident who attended the festival with his wife and three daughters, was happy to be outdoors.

“They did a great job with all the events and the churches brought out things that the kids can do,” he said. “It’s good for the kids to meet other kids and I’m running into people. It’s a great way to get reacquainted.”

Mill Creek resident and singer/musician, Kellee Bradley, also performed on the music stage. She shared her songs with festival attendees as many stopped for sno cones, hotdogs or kettle corn.

“It’s great to be able to be in my own backyard and play in front of my friends and family on a beautiful day,” she said.

By 7 p.m. the festival was at its official end but its success prompted some to already think about next year’s festival.

“Next year it will have to be bigger,” said Charlie Gibbons, who founded the first festival and is a business association member. “We have exhibitors who we turned away. I know of at least 10 right now who wanted to come but we didn’t have enough room for them so I think we could easily double it next year.”

Ideas for next year’s festival would turn it into a two-day event that could host a jazz contest or an antique car show with the festival being held at the Town Center.

“I think a lot of people are leaning in that direction,” Martin said when asked about the possibility of a two-day festival. “It’s going to mean a lot more work.”