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From the Idyllwild Town Crier weekly newspaper, 03.04.10 edition.

lily Town unites for Lemon Lily

By Beth Nottley, News Assistant

Plans for the Lemon Lily Festival to be held Friday, July 16 through Sunday, July 18, 2010 have been firmed up and it appears as if the entire town will be involved in the three-day schedule of events all centered on the restoration of what was once a major Idyllwild tourist attraction — the Lemon Lily (Lilium parryi).

Many thousands of this striking plant, which can grow to over five feet tall with up to 30 flowers on a stalk emitting a heady lemon-vanilla scent, once graced the Hill along perennial streams and in wet meadows, canyon bottom seeps and springs. Early 20th-century bulb collectors, however, caused its population to dramatically decline. Bulbs are expensive and difficult to obtain. This year, in fact, it became even more difficult because a severe cold snap in Oregon froze and killed nearly 1,300 bulbs. Fortunately, organizers of the Lemon Lily Festival were able to procure 100 bulbs from a Northern Californian source.

The Lemon Lily Festival organizers, who have dubbed it “A Festival for Education, Celebration, and Restoration,” are going to turn back time in Idyllwild with an olden-days themed festival and the planting of the Lemon Lily bulbs, which they say will be the start of bringing the plant back to prominence. Bryan Tallent, co-owner of The Spruce Moose gift shop, is optimistic about this goal and excited to see the level of community involvement in the effort. He said, “We have the power to bring it [the Lemon Lily] back to what it was 100 years ago.”

Highlights of the festival include an around-town Lily Walk, an art show, guided walks to Lily Creek and a back country hike in search of native Lemon Lilies, planting of Lemon Lily bulbs, a barbecue sponsored by the American Legion Post 800, an old-fashioned hoedown with live fiddle music and square dance lessons, an outdoor pancake breakfast sponsored by the Rotary and a “Pioneer Town” with hands-on activities and demonstrations by artisans of goods from bygone era.

According to festival organizer Shelley Kibby of the Idyllwild Nature Center, the community has rallied around the festival and many people and organizations have already volunteered their services. Dozens of businesses from Strawberry Creek Shopping Plaza to town center and up to the top of North Circle Drive have signed up to participate in the weekend’s Lily Walk, giving away tastes of lemon-flavored treats or festival-related souvenirs.

Local businesses and service organizations have also stepped up. Many have volunteered their skills to lead Pioneer Town demonstrations. For example, the Mountain Quilters are currently making a Lemon Lily quilt that will be raffled off and will be demonstrating how to quilt at the event; Pino Tree Service is building a playhouse-sized log cabin kit that children will be able to build and tear down (picture real, but life-sized Lincoln Logs); and the Soroptimists are planning an old-time kitchen gadgets area for activities like butter churning, ice cream making and apple pressing.

Other planned events that individuals have already volunteered to lead or local businesses have agreed to sponsor include old-fashioned games like relay races with wooden hoops and wagon wheels, gold panning, soap making, pioneer doll making, rag rug making, and wool spinning. Kibby said she is still seeking “a real cowboy” able to demonstrate roping and someone who can lead candle making activities. Anyone interested in leading these activities, or others not mentioned, can call her at (951) 659-3850.

In addition to their tiime, locals are already committing funds for sponsorships that range from $25 to $600. Major donors so far include the Friends of the Mount San Jacinto County Parks, the Idyllwild Garden Club, Pine Cove Property Owners Association, Idyllwild Tea Company, Dr. Jon Dunn, Dore’s Mountain Art Garden, the Town Crier and committee member Dave Stith, the botanist who is presently trying to grow plants from Lemon Lilies he counted in Idyllwild last year. “That’s pretty amazing since they [festival organizers] haven’t even sent out their sponsorship request letter,” said Tallent. “The community is already really behind the festival.”

At their Thursday, Feb. 25 planning meeting, festival organizers approved a sponsorship letter that will soon be distributed, along with a press release about the event. Festival organizer Denise Huntington, member of the Friends of the Mount San Jacinto County Park and Nature Center volunteer, wrote them. Huntington said she has already sent the press release to several major publications that print calendars and stories about tourist events in California. She said the media contact list she has compiled is available at no charge to any other group trying to promote Idyllwild as a destination.

The Lemon Lily Festival planning meetings are held at 1 p.m. every Thursday at the Idyllwild Nature Center and anyone who would like to help with the festival is welcome.

For more information about the festival, visit www.lemonlilyfestival.com or on the Idyllwild Nature Center’s Web site at www.idyllwildnaturecenter.net.

    Beth Nottley can be reached at beth@towncrier.com.

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