Yes Sparks, when I saw the sign for the "Train Depot Back on Track" fundraiser, it irked me too.  According to an article, the Dept was insured on $1 million .  Why are they holding fundraisers?   Let's do a fundraiser for a Boys/Girls Club or community center instead.

The booths at the Mtn. Festival are not actually "permits".  I worked for the Chamber of Commerce up there for 2 years and they are the ones who put on the Mtn. Fest.  This was 10 years ago and the fee to rent a booth at Mtn. Fest was $235.00 then.  Plus I think the vendors had to have their own insurance (i am not sure on that one).  The fee was the same for all, local and out of towners.  I am sure it has probably gone up since then but everyone has a chance to rent a booth at Mt. Fest, maybe the locals were just not willing to pay it.  I saw the guy that does the tree carvings in his front yard showing his wares. BEAUTIFUL STUFF.

 Hi Sparks,

Well according to the newspaper article in this weeks edition, the Depot had a "Replacement Policy", to my understanding that covers everything lost at market value.  I thought the same thing about the fundraising...Then again it could be just us!

Now about Mtn. Festival, you heard exactly right, the vendor spaces are very expensive.  Before Mel White moved Tehachapi Art Center farther down Tehachapi Blvd., she used to hold an Artist Fair the same weekend as the festival so locals could have affordable space to sell their wares.  It's sad when we care about getting more outside vendors to the festival than showing off some of the most awesome artists in the world that reside right here in our own little hamlet.

Jewels   Oh, I see.   Hmmm maybe we should have an art/music/poetry reading festival of our own? A free one.    And Jewels, why don't you move your butt back down here?   huh?

Awsmom... yep, that still irks me too.   I'm hoping someone will come in here and make me feel better this.   You two haven't done that thus far.

I was there for Mt Fest..i took my 4 year token up there.  Sparks, there is just nothing there for me..i mean my kids are there, but my life wouldn't be good there, i already know it!! I am happy here...maybe you should come to San Diego sometime

Peaceful... dang...you and I think alike...scary huh?  

I say we figure out how to get our local artists, musicians, performers, writers, food vendors, etc, etc a festival of their own, FREE with the same publicity.   perhaps a couple months earlier.   Get the TN, and the LOOP, and all community papers, websites to advertise for the sake of the Tehachapi people.  

Our city shouldn't be trying to make money off of everything Tehachapi stands for...   only the rich, can afford to show their art???   &()^&^*&&$^$

You know what I just thought of... the train depot park was vacant during the festival.  There's a place the city didn't need.  Perhaps they will find it in their hearts to donate that space to the artists of Tehachapi during the Mountain Festival???.

Jewels, I do go to San Diego now and again, my sister has a boat docked on Harbor Island.   I like it there a very lot, but I like the mountains much better.   I'm sorry I miss you everytime you come to town...dabnabbit.   Hopefully some day we will meet up over a cup of java.

Well I don't have any answers though I would like some too, and I certainly agree that these sorts of situations are totally wrong.  I can only guess that some bureaucrat will say something like we don't understand the city's inner workings and about insurance, permits, etc.  But ya know what?  It doesn't frigging matter!  What does matter is what everyone sees, and that is NO LOCAL ARTISTS!  How can you have a Mountain Festival in a mountain town with no local artists?  It's crazy!

Sparks, you have an incredible thing going on grungehobbit.com with people adding wonderful content all the time, I can totally see some sort of collaboration in the future, maybe with Hillybeans in their parking lot or something like that.

 I was thinking the same thing, Greg! Hillybean's also has a large backyard area and patio that could be utilized.

I love you guys ;-)     Yep, next year will be different.

The Rock and Mineral Club here in Tehachapi takes advantage of the Mtn Fest weekend by having a Gem Show that weekend at the Dance Studio.  I could definitely see Mama's hosting a Tehachapi Artists Show and Sale on Mtn. Fest Weekend!  Wonderful idea!

Feel better Sparks? Then we could show City Hall what we think of with their high priced booths. 

PD... to answer the Car Show question:   It is held on Sunday because of the Saturday downtown parade.  They tried to have a Saturday car show a few years ago and it was a total fiasco trying to coordinate 300 cars coming into the downtown area at the same time the streets were blocked off for the parade.  It  simply does not work!!    

I wonder why those 300 cars are so different than the several thousand cars that enter town that morning bringing the folks to watch the parade?  

~sigh~    Those 300 cars are registered entries in a Car Show... not random cars that can park anywhere in town and walk back.  That's the difference... the Car Show is held on the downtown streets and when those streets are blocked off for the parade, it creates a huge jam and necessitates a staging area well away from downtown.   Having the show on Sunday alleviates all those problems.