THE  FINE  ARTS  FIESTA:

 

A  CULTURAL  TRADITION

 IN 

WYOMING  VALLEY

 

Larry Dake

May 2002

 

Preface

            When presented with the possibility of compiling a written history of the Fine Arts Fiesta, I was very apprehensive for several reasons.  Primarily, I had no background in the event.  The “Fine Arts Fiesta” was nothing more than an annual event held in downtown Wilkes-Barre of which I knew little.  Secondly, I had doubts about my ability to write local history in an area in which I have lived for only three years.  With little background in Wyoming Valley history, this project became a learning experience in the history of this area.  Additionally, I had no experience with research focusing exclusively on primary sources.  Combing through newspaper accounts, conducting interviews, and analyzing raw data from Fiestas over the past forty-six years appeared to be a daunting task.  In the end, however, I found it extremely rewarding and valuable experience for future projects of a similar nature.  Finally, I was unsure of how this project would affect my other schoolwork.  I wanted to put one hundred percent into the necessary research and writing and not accept any less of an effort.  Fall 2001 turned out to be my busiest academic semester at King’s, with senior seminar and completing my history requirements.  I am very grateful that Mr. Fedrick allowed me to finish this project during the Spring of 2002.

            Although my apprehensions did intrude on my research at first, once I began this project I was unable to stop.  As an alternative title, I considered naming this venture “Adventures in Microhistory.”  Microhistory allows for the personalization of historical pursuits.  It permits the researcher to embrace this history of his or her project, get to know the individuals involved, and get a true feel of what is being written about.  There is a distinct difference between researching the Fine Arts Fiesta and examining the history of the American Revolution, for example.  The latter is an unattached endeavor, far removed from our contemporary construct.  The former, however, encompasses the immediate past, the present, and the immediate future.  It is happening here and now and is pithy enough to be analyzed on a local level.  Exploring the history of the Fine Arts Fiesta outside of the social construct of the Wyoming Valley will lead a researcher to completely miss its impact and continued value.  The context of microhistory must be examined to glean the true impact of an event, person, or community.  Contextualizing the Fine Arts Fiesta was a challenge for me since I am not a life-long resident of the Wyoming Valley.  Nonetheless, the history of the Fine Arts Fiesta occurs on a small enough scale where it was possible.  The microhistorical nature of the event was to my advantage throughout this project. 

            It is hard to imagine the last forty-six years in the life of Wilkes-Barre and the Wyoming Valley without the Fine Arts Fiesta.  Therefore, what is the legacy of the Fine Arts Fiesta?  Through my newspaper research, individual interviews, and analysis, I have determined five major factors of Fiesta’s impact.

1. As a Cultural Bridge

            In an area where cultural diversity is endemic, the Fine Arts Fiesta was able to bring disparate groups together in a time rarely noted for its “multiculturalism.”  Former Wilkes College Theatre Professor Alfred Groh’s United Nationalities Pageant had a significant impact on Fiesta’s development in this direction.  Without the impact of Wilkes College’s cultural celebration, Fiesta may never have embraced multiculturalism to the extent it did, let alone have come into existence.  For many years, Fine Arts Fiesta programs were colorful not only in artistic expression, but in the national flags expressed in their performances.  Fiesta provided a stage for different cultures not only to demonstrate their ethnic talents, but experience the flavor of their neighbor’s diversity as well.

            Murray Popky, a former area business leader and Fiesta President from 1972 to 1979, greatly stressed Fiesta’s “Americanization” factor.  Under the presumed homogeneity of the 1950’s were a plethora of multiethnic flavors.  Only in later decades would many of these diverse art forms be labeled “American.”  What was needed was a stage where the ethnicity of America could exhibit what it had to offer.  The Fine Arts Fiesta provided a platform for that examination to take place.

2. Female Leadership

            In our contemporary social construct, it is not uncommon for women to exhibit their talents in areas previously dominated by men.  Perhaps the best example of this is the influx of female leadership in the United States Senate.  Currently, eleven of our Senators are women, whereas fifteen years ago more than one was an anomaly.  The era surrounding Fiesta’s inception has been characterized as “conservative” and “traditional.”  The Fine Arts Fiesta challenged the definition of those concepts.  From 1956 to 1973, Fiesta operated under female leadership in the persons of Annette Evans and Ruth Schooley.  Subsequently, females continued to serve as general chairpersons throughout the 1980’s. 

            When Fiesta was started, as Mary Ellen Nieman, long-standing Fiesta secretary, aptly noted, the female workforce was much less than it is today.  Many women did not work and were able to devote themselves full-time to community endeavors such as the Fine Arts Fiesta.  In my estimation, the female involvement in Fiesta was a sign of the talent a male-dominated society was missing.  If these extremely capable women could succeed running Fiesta, imagine how they could succeed running a business, a bank, or a law firm.  This aspect of Fiesta’s history, in my analysis, stands out as extremely beneficial to society as a whole.

3. Community Involvement

            The Fine Arts Fiesta developed in and around the Greater Wilkes-Barre community.  Without the community, there is no Fiesta, and vice versa.  Community pride has always been a by-product of the Fine Arts Fiesta.  From volunteering to fundraising, the Wilkes-Barre and Wyoming Valley community has taken Fiesta under its umbrella. 

            Producing an arts festival that could be enjoyed by the entire community was the primary goal of Annette Evans, Alfred Groh, and other Fiesta founders.  The talent displayed in those early Fiestas was local, the exhibits were local, and, on Public Square, the atmosphere was local.  A source of great pride for the community, the Fine Arts Fiesta flourished in the hands of capable leaders from the Wyoming Valley community.  As numerous newspaper articles recount and Ruth Schooley noted, millions of people have continued to be amazed that Wilkes-Barre is the home of such a wonderful arts fiesta.  The oldest full-scale arts festival in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the Fine Arts Fiesta continues to bring pleasure to thousands of visitors every May.

4. A Gift of the Arts, Free of Charge

            One of my favorite stories from British history tells of a local government that taxed its citizens in every way possible, including placing a tax on every window in every house.  This story is a testament to the driving power behind money in society.  Money has been and continues to be a major source behind community involvement.  In my research, I was amazed to find that the Fine Arts Fiesta has always been presented free of charge to the public.  No tax, no ticket charge, no cost for Fiesta programs.  Even as Fiesta encountered financial difficulties in the 1970’s and early 1980’s, the idea of charging admission to Fiesta remained anathema to its directors.

            However, Fiesta could not remain free to the public if the public did not show its support for the endeavor.  Voluntary contributions from spirited citizens have historically composed the majority of program funding.  While grants did exist through the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and other organizations, increasing monetary gifts from individuals, corporations, and foundations have made every Fiesta possible from 1956 to 2001. 

5. Emphasis on Children

            Throughout its history, the Fine Arts Fiesta has highlighted children’s entertainment.  From Punch and Judy shows to face painting, Fiesta has offered high quality children’s entertainment free of charge.  Counting the number of children who have been positively influenced by Fiesta over the years is impossible; one can only imagine how substantial that number must be.

            All the individuals I interviewed continuously stressed this facet of Fiesta’s programming.  Mary Ellen Nieman went as far as to postulate that the true value of Fiesta lies in its accessible location, allowing disadvantaged children to experience the arts for the first time.  High school musical and poetic organizations have been part of Fiesta programming since its origin.  A large portion of the ethnic talent, as Murray Popky commented, came from the schools within the Wyoming Valley.  Enough time has passed in the history of Fiesta for two whole generations of families to have childhood memories of the Fine Arts Fiesta.  It was not hard to come to the conclusion that Fiesta is a wonderful resource for the children of the Wyoming Valley.

            I realize that this is not an all-inclusive list.  Scores of other Fiesta facets can be uncovered and expanded upon.  These five, for me, stand out as the preeminent characteristics, outside of the art, of Fiesta.  From a socio-economic standpoint, Fiesta has served its community in an extremely positive manner.  Artistically, it has inspired professionals and amateurs alike to explore their creative inner beings. 

 

1956-1965: A Decade of the Arts

            At noon on May 24, 1956, when Wilkes-Barre Mayor Luther M. Kniffen sounded the historic Old Ship Zion Bell, the Fine Arts Fiesta was born.  As the highlight of Wilkes-Barre’s Sesquicentennial celebration, the Fiesta, which represented the first aggregation of all the arts of the valley in one place, was viewed with anticipation and curiosity.  Commencing the three-day celebration was an opening ceremony intended to educate the audience on Fiesta’s purpose.  Art and history were stressed in that first opening ceremony.  Dr. Eugene S. Farley, then President of Wilkes College, now Wilkes University, “stressed the interrelation between the valley’s cultural assets, and economic and industrial well-being of the community…therefore, the fiesta plays a significant role in the overall growth of the community.”[1]  Annette Evans, the engine behind the first Fine Arts Fiesta, spoke of the historical assets of the valley.  She introduced Ben Cook as a “character of 1806” and gave a historical portrayal of the valley’s growth from 1806 to 1956.  Ben Cook, in his role as a character of yesteryear, circulated throughout the Fiesta, exchanging “historical witticisms” with spectators.[2]

            Leading up to the opening of the Fine Arts Fiesta, Wilkes-Barre and its immediate environs buzzed with anticipation.  Ms. Evans provided a preview of the arts exhibition for the Sunday Independent, a former Wilkes-Barre newspaper, eleven days before its opening,

                        The three-day spectacular, Miss Evans explained, will feature all forms

                        of music, dance, drama, sketches, displays and other expressions of the

                        Valley’s cultural life.  There will be something for everyone, and

                        everything equally entertaining to all.[3]

           

            Along with providing a preview of entertainment, Ms. Evans tied the historical element

of the art to its cultural significance.  “Each of the art-forms, she said, will demonstrate, through actual performance, how it grew from 1806 to May, 1956.”[4]  Also catching the public’s attention was the transformation of the square from a civic park to a forum for the arts.  Newspaper accounts describe the scene,

                        All of Public Square park has been transformed for the Fiesta.  Exhibitions

                        are housed in attractive canopies.  Everywhere red and white pennants, and

                        candy stripe decorations give the Square the atmosphere and appearance of

                        a true fiesta.[5]

 

            From all accounts, the committee that planned the first Fine Arts Fiesta appears to have gone beyond the call of duty to make the public aware of the arts celebration.  Nothing like it had been experienced in the Wyoming Valley prior to its inception.  The Fiesta encompassed elements of the past, present, and future.  By examining the growth of the Valley, exhibiting contemporary arts and history, and offering a glance to the future, the first Fine Arts Fiesta was
”a projection of the past, through the present, and community worthy of its salt must take account, and be proud, of all three.”[6]  Presenting a “Story of the Fiesta,” the 1963 program gives perhaps the most succinct summary of the first Fiesta,

                        “Founded in 1956, the Fine Arts Fiesta began with 12 organizations.  It

                        ran for three days with no evening performances after dark.  It used a small

                        stage, and limited sound equipment.  But unlimited spirit, gaiety and

                        distinction, pointed the way to what it might become.”[7] 

 

            Emphasizing the interrelation of cultural, economic, and industrial assets, presenting arts in its historical and contemporary forms, glimpsing into the past and future through the present, and transforming Public Square to a true arts forum, the first Fine Arts Fiesta was a successful endeavor that left the community yearning for more.  How did this celebration of the arts come about?  What were its precursors? 

            From any angle, the Fine Arts Fiesta is an outgrowth of the Fine Arts program at Wilkes University, then Wilkes College.  Mr. Alfred Groh, professor of theatre at Wilkes, had been directing a “United Nationalities Pageant” at Wilkes prior to 1956.  Accentuating the ethnic diversity present in the Wyoming Valley, Mr. Groh’s pageant was successful on many levels.  First, it displayed that an arts celebration could flourish.  Without the success of the United Nationalities Pageant, the Fine Arts Fiesta may never have germinated.  Secondly, it provided the necessary resources to transform the United Nationalities Pageant into a larger endeavor.  Along with Mr. Groh, Ms. Evans became the catalyst behind the Fine Arts Fiesta.  Instead of limiting an arts pageant to a Wilkes audience, Mr. Groh and Ms. Evans brought that energy to the premier public sanctuary in the Valley: Wilkes-Barre’s Public Square.  Finally, besides human resources, the United Nationalities Pageant brought structure to the larger venture in 1956.  With this background in production and artistic enterprise, the Fine Arts Fiesta began its existence on a solid foundation. 

            With this solid foundation and success in 1956, the Fine Arts Fiesta returned to Public Square in its own right in 1957 minus the Sesquicentennial celebration.  Emphasizing entertainment value and community joviality, the 1957 Fiesta closely resembled its predecessor.  Expansion and survival, however, were the calling cards in 1957.  Primarily, as Ms. Evans stated, Fiesta was back due to the community,

                        “Inaugurated last Spring as a highlight of the Sesquicentennial, the Fine Arts

                        Fiesta…is now a permanent annual affair due to overwhelming demand.”[8] 

 

            Setting a precedent that would extend into the next decade, the opening remarks of the 1957 Fine Arts Fiesta revolved around the civilizing influence of the arts.  Fiesta was saluted as the mark of a growing progressive society that depended on the future of free men in a free environment.[9]  Building upon the cultural, economic, and industrial interdependence established the previous year, a "civilizing element" was infused into Fiesta’s function.  It is a theme that would echo through Fiesta history for decades.

            As the 1950’s drew to a conclusion, the survival of the Fine Arts Fiesta was no longer in doubt.  Following two highly successful undertakings, the 1958 and 1959 Fiestas emphasized growth and community inclusiveness.  An editorial penned in 1958 speaks to those dynamics,

                        “The project is not an experiment.  It already has demonstrated its

                        possibilities.  So enthusiastic are its backers that they want this year’s

                        presentations to be outstanding with a view of making the affair a

                        nationally known festival.”[10]

 

            On the heels of survival came the energy to grow.  In 1958, Fiesta was held four days instead of the usual three.  An enlarged program marked the celebration, along with a wider variety of cultural exhibits. Transformed into a classical Greek forum, Public Square witnessed Fiesta’s largest turnout to date in 1958.[11]  The tremendous public turnout also gave merchants a glance at the possibilities of Fiesta from a business-perspective.  Drawing spectators from near and far, Fiesta was recognized as a harbinger of increased sales[12].  It proved that, given a reason to come to Public Square, the community-at-large was willing to spend money in downtown Wilkes-Barre.  As R.E. McNeal, then-president of the Merchants Association noted,

                        “The Fine Arts Fiesta is a splendid presentation of the community’s

                        cultural assets that spells high-grade entertainment for all residents

                        of Wyoming Valley…it is of material value to the business and

                        industrial community.”[13]

 

            Successful at survival and with an eye towards future expansion in several phases, a court charter was requested in the late-1950’s.  The charter, which was granted as requested, sets forth two major purposes of the corporation: first, to produce an annual Fine Arts Fiesta on Public Square and its Wyoming Valley environs as a free offering to the people of the area, and secondly, to foster pride in the people of Wyoming Valley in the quality of arts available to them while “raising the level of tastes in the community.”[14]

            Along with request for a charter, by-laws were composed to provide further structure to Fiesta endeavors.  Established for the purpose of “educating the people of Wilkes-Barre and Wyoming Valley in the fine arts without charge to them,” the Fine Arts Fiesta was to offer to the “people of Wyoming Valley participation, instruction, and the appreciation of unique enjoyment…to assist in the development of understanding of the arts…”[15] Outlining elections, meetings, and expenditures, the original by-laws built upon the success already enjoyed by Fiesta-backers.  As a testament to its outgrowth from Wilkes College, article five stipulates that, should the Fiesta ever dissolve, all its assets are to be transferred to Wilkes or another non-profit organization to continue to “educate” the people of Wilkes-Barre and Wyoming Valley.

            In language contemporary to its era, the Fine Arts Fiesta became an incorporated member of the Greater Wilkes-Barre community.  Its by-laws stress arts education, appreciation, and instruction.  The by-laws not only looked to the continued success of the Fine Arts Fiesta, but the establishment of the fine arts as a force within the community.

            From its beginning in 1956, the Fine Arts Fiesta continued to prosper in the early 1960’s.  The 1962 Fiesta program lists thirty-six organizations and the contribution of over 1000 volunteers.  A three hundred percent increase in participation in seven short years is a testament to the energy and drive of its officers, board, and benefactors.  With the question of survival at sunset and the dawn of expansion in full motion, Fiesta had turned the corner from an “arts exhibition” to a full-fledged artistic spectacular.  

            Having turned that corner, the early 1960’s produced some of the finest Fiestas to date.  At the 1963 opening ceremonies, Mrs. C. Wells Belin of Scranton, a leader of local art, delivered one of the most meaningful principal addresses in Fiesta history.  Her “Four Great Assets of Fiesta” are examples that are far from exclusive to any time or era.  First, she cited the public relations value of the Fiesta.  Through metropolitan newspapers, the press, radio, and television, the Fine Arts Fiesta, she stated, is a bright light for Wilkes-Barre’s public relations.  Secondly, by sponsoring Fiesta, Wilkes-Barre sets a positive example for other cities.  Furthermore, as the greatest cultural asset in the community, Mrs. Belin praised Fiesta for its vital importance “not only to industries which are already here, but to those who plan to come here.”  Finally, Mrs. Belin cites the personal value of Fiesta.  It “helps us forget our personal petty problems and to lose ourselves in the Fine Arts which helps us widen our horizons through participation.”[16]

            The importance of Mrs. Belin’s address cannot be underestimated.  It articulates, for the first time, the great assets of the Fine Arts Fiesta in one speech.  It does not render a new line of thinking but expands upon what had already been said about Fiesta.  Fiesta’s overall contribution to public relations, businesses, city morale, and personal well-being are outlined.  The last of the “Four Great Assets of Fiesta” is perhaps the most interesting.  Describing the Fiesta as a promoter of personal well-being is probably what the founders of the event wished for throughout the previous seven years.  It had been stated in editorials and articles in the major area newspapers, but never in such a personal forum as the Fiesta opening ceremonies.  Mrs. Belin’s remarks transcend time, place, and era.  They are worthy of reference every third weekend during the month of May in Wilkes-Barre.

            1963 also saw Fiesta gain national recognition.  The National Recreation Committee presented an appreciation award to Annette Evans.  George Ralston, chairman of the Wilkes-Barre Recreation Board nominated Ms. Evans for the award and Congressman Daniel J. Flood was on hand to participate in the presentation.[17]

            As the first decade of the Fine Arts Fiesta drew to a close, it was apparent that this cultural celebration had come to stay.  Dr. Farley, at the 1965 Fiesta opening ceremonies, paid tribute to Ms. Evans for her “vision and drive” and the Fiesta’s ability to infuse creative effort into the community.  Mr. Alfred Groh, in an original poem entitled “Miracle of Creation,” paid tribute to the twelve original organizations and said in part, “On an open stage, a salute to a city’s coming of age!”[18]  Armed with a theme of “A Decade of the Arts,” the Fine Arts Fiesta board and officers glanced brightly toward the future while celebrating their successful past.

            Artistic presentation over the course of Fiesta’s first decade emphasized lively demonstrations of crafts and performances.  Among the highlights of the “Crafts-in-Action” presentations were C. Edgar Patience’s coal sculptures, wool spinning by Mrs. Alex Mysczynski, needlepoint compliments of Mrs. Edna DeLyon, and Mrs. Harry Thomas’ handloom.  High school bands, orchestras, and choirs became a part of Fiesta tradition from its inception, establishing a custom that survives in contemporary Fiestas.  Along with high school music, King’s College, Wilkes College, and College Misericordia made their impression through glee clubs, brass ensembles, and symphonettes.  The Wilkes-Barre Philharmonic Orchestra, the Wyoming Valley Oratorio Society, the Wilkes-Barre Ballet Guild, the Orpheus Choral Society, and the Stegmaier Gold Medal Band also made major contributions to the programs.  The Wilkes College Drama Department and the Little Theatre of Wilkes-Barre provided theatrical performances.  “The Play’s The Thing,” performed in 1957 under the supervision of Mr. Groh, marked theater’s arrival at the Fiesta. 

            “Punch and Judy” shows, perhaps more than any other Fiesta performance, captured the spirit of the arts endeavor.  Under the direction of Mr. Groh, these lively 15th Century puppet presentations captivated both children and adults alike.  Because Fiesta is and always has been free to the public, the scores of children that have witnessed Punch and Judy shows cannot be measured.  As an endeavor to educate and inspire children and the public at large, however, their value has been enormous.   

 

1966-1978: New Leadership, New Trials, Same Spirit

            A decade of successful Fine Arts Fiestas had rendered the event a known, respected, and anticipated entity within the Greater Wilkes-Barre Community.  In addition, Fiesta was beginning to garner national attention as a top-notch full-scale arts festival.  Emphasis on quality performances, a dedicated and arts-friendly group of officers, a superb location in the heart of Wilkes-Barre, a gift to the people of Wyoming Valley—all these dynamics became associated with the Fine Arts Fiesta from 1956 to 1965.  From its humble beginnings of twelve organizations and six performances, Fiesta had matured to become an annual event that engrossed one thousand volunteers with the cooperation of thirty-six organizations.  After tracing the history of the Fine Arts Fiesta from 1956, “Happenings in the Arts” columnist Sylvia S. Cutler wrote in 1968,

                        “Thousands of visitors from many states would be attracted and the

                        event would be listed in the New York Times in its Tourists

                        Calendar as a spring and summer attraction.  One can say the

                        Fiesta is established.  And it still grows.”[19]

 

            As Fiesta itself matured, its leadership matured as well.  At the end of the 1965 Fine Arts Fiesta, founder and Fiesta dynamo Annette Evans stepped down as President.  As with any transition of power, questions arose as to the effects of such a drastic change.  A woman of strong leadership capabilities, Ms. Evans had surrounded herself with hard-working, diligent, and dynamic board members since Fiesta’s inception in 1956.  Subsequent to Ms. Evans’ resignation, Program Chairperson Ruth Schooley was elected president and local artist Alice Welsh Jenkins first vice-president.  As a testament to Fiesta’s growing stature and reputation within the community, the change did not go unnoticed,

                        “Election of Mrs. H.B. Schooley to the presidency and Alice Welsh

                        Jenkins to the first vice presidency assures the Fine Arts Fiesta

                        competent leadership for the year ahead…the Fiesta is off to a

                        good start as it embarks on the second decade under new

                        leadership.”[20]

 

            Also noted was Ms. Evans’ new status of president emeritus and the continued presence of the majority board members from 1965.  Few expected the Fine Arts Fiesta to skip a beat as its second decade of existence began under new leadership.

            The latter half of the 1960’s represented Fiesta’s greatest emphasis on the “local” flavor of the event.  It was felt by those directing the Fiesta that a certain amount of stability had been reached in expansion and development.  Therefore, greater stress was placed on quality of performances and congruence between the main theme and the major production.  Presenting Fiesta as a “place where tourists and visitors come, and are amazed and delighted with Wilkes-Barre…a place where the sophisticated and the unsophisticated rub elbows as they look in wonder, or puzzlement at a work of contemporary sculpture imported from New York…”[21] 

            Under this billing, “Our Town” was the theme of the 1968 Fine Arts Fiesta.  “Our Town,” as Mrs. Schooley explained, is considered Greater Wilkes-Barre including Back Mountain, Mountaintop, and other outlying municipalities throughout the Wyoming Valley.[22]  This inclusiveness augured well for the ability of the Fine Arts Fiesta to incorporate as much local history and flavor into the “Our Town” theme.  In 1968, all groups were asked to interpret and apply the theme in every possible manner.  Especially pertinent to the emphasis on local history was a slide show entitled “Our Town—People, Places, and Events,” which was presented several evenings during the Fiesta.[23]

            Along with slide shows, book presentations, and public library displays, performing arts productions also incorporated the “Our Town” theme.  In her new function as Special Events Chairperson, Annette Evans scheduled recordings of local artists by the Mozart Club, a folk singing group from College Misericordia, compositions by the Wilkes-Barre Philharmonic, and Wyoming Valley Art League exhibits featured local talent.  To introduce out-of-towners to the “Our Town” atmosphere, festival tours were given for those visiting Wilkes-Barre and the Fine Arts Fiesta for the first time.[24] 

            Successfully integrating local flavor and history into the Fiesta theme in 1968 gave event directors a taste of what was to come in 1969.  That year marked the bicentennial celebration of the settlement of the Wyoming Valley and the Fine Arts Fiesta did not fail to utilize local history in its presentation for a second consecutive year.  As noted above, the founding of Fiesta transpired under the auspices of the 1956 Sesquicentennial celebration.  Although that celebration was a “one-shot deal,” the Fine Arts Fiesta materialized in a different manner.  Celebrating local history, talent, and camaraderie was a precedent established years before by Fiesta directions.  1969 would continue that tradition in its theme of “Fiesta-200.”  A spin-off of the “Our Town” theme, “Fiesta-200” signified the two-hundred years of history, art, and camaraderie in the Wyoming Valley.                           

            During the 1969 opening ceremonies, Dr. Francis Michelini of Wilkes College, then Dean of Academic Affairs and later President, speaking on behalf of Fiesta mainstay Dr. Eugene Farley, outlined the “Fiesta-200” theme with a tribute to the Wyoming Valley’s cultural and ethnic heritage,

                        “More than 42 ethnic groups here, help to make this a true example

                        of what is meant by a nation of immigrants—a melting pot of

                        culture, all beautifully symbolized by the rich variety of

                        exhibits and programs at the fiesta.”[25]

 

            Dr. Michelini’s address skirted the contours of American freedom while highlighting the educational aspects of the Fine Arts Fiesta.  He spoke of the diversity of the American landscape which is represented not only in the large metropolitan areas of the United States, but also in the Wyoming Valley.  The “diversity of ideas,” like ethnic and cultural diversity, also “achieves the growth and enrichment of our culture and heritage…”[26] 

            Along with Dr. Michelini’s talk, Dr. Harold Cox of the Wilkes College history department delivered a speech entitled “200 Years of the Wyoming Valley, A Microcosm of America.”  He talked extensively of the region’s problems as an area on the American frontier.  Entertaining remarks about various eras in the history of the Wyoming Valley also filled his lecture.  Dr. Cox finished his assessment of Wyoming Valley history by touching upon the “melting pot” theme: “Nowhere could you find more people, from more backgrounds, than you can find right here in the valley, all contributing to a rich and diversified culture.”[27]

            Concluding the opening celebration was a tableau and dramatic verse written especially for the ceremony by Alfred Groh.  Not a stranger to Fiesta by any means, Mr. Groh had contributed his artistic prose and poetry before on numerous occasions.  “The Man of Connecticut—Legend of Wilkes-Barre, Town on the Susquehanna,” a narrative that illustrated the immense faith in the future of the Wyoming Valley by the area’s first Connecticut settlers, rounded out the trio of historically-minded opening presentations.

            More than simply a statement of the diversity present in the Wyoming Valley, these three presentations represented a public appreciation for the numerous elements inherent in the daily life of the area.  Taken as a whole, these three presentations stand alongside Mrs. Belin’s 1963 speech as outstanding statements of Fiesta’s objective.  Fiesta has industrial, economic, commercial, and public relations ambitions; there is little doubt about this.  Looking at the Fine Arts Fiesta from a different perspective, it undoubtedly acts as a promoter for unity as well.  Fusing disparate elements of society through a free-of-charge, all-inclusive endeavor, the Fine Arts Fiesta operates above community strife to offer a product appreciative of all ethnicities. 

            Besides providing exceptional statements of purpose, the 1969 Fine Arts Fiesta continued to grow in terms of participation.  It was estimated that over 1500 volunteers performed duties such as hosting events, exhibiting art, and performing the myriad tasks necessary for production in 1969.[28]  Additionally, performing arts were held at a site outside of Public Square for the first time.  Gilbert and Sullivan’s “Yeoman of the Guard” by the Savoy Company of Philadelphia was held at the Wilkes College Center for the Performing Arts, now the Darte Center.  The production was too large and involved for the Square infrastructure.[29]  The increase in participation and the expansion to off-Square sites set precedents for future Fiestas and displayed a willingness to experiment on behalf of Fiesta’s directors.  Not afraid of growing too large too fast or providing superior, albeit untested, facilities for its production, Mrs. Schooley and her officers ended the 1960’s with two outstanding Fiestas and a lifetime of memories.

            The early 1970’s witnessed stabilization in the growth of participation in the Fine Arts Fiesta; however, the Agnes flood of 1972 and funding difficulties would challenge the spirit of the event and raise it to new heights.  Leadership changed hands once again as the new decade unfolded.  On June 5, 1972, Mrs. Schooley symbolically handed the presidency of the Fine Arts Fiesta to Mr. Murray Popky by presenting him with the flag of the Fiesta.  Just the third president and the first male in the sixteen-year history of the event, Mr. Popky had been involved with Fiesta since 1966.  Distinguishing himself as a production chairperson, Mr. Popky had been selected as general chairperson of the 1971 Fine Arts Fiesta.[30]  Similar to the election of Mrs. Schooley in 1965, Mr. Popky’s election ensured Fiesta of experienced and competent leadership in the immediate future.

            Improvements to the Fiesta infrastructure became a primary concern in the first half of the 1970’s.  Subsequent to the 1971 Fiesta, the directors decided to concentrate on the physical aspects of the festival in order to augment the growth of the event.  Committees were assigned in November 1971 to study improved on-stage lighting and sound-reflecting boards to enhance acoustics.  Mr. James J. McClelland, chairperson of the committee dedicated to improving sound and lighting, announced its findings in January 1972.  He recommended that Fiesta purchase special portable acoustical panels to be permanent equipment of Fiesta in 1972 and beyond.  Furthermore, the committee proposed the purchase of new overhead lighting instruments to help musicians decipher their sheet music.  A gift of $1,000 was received by the Fiesta from the Marquis McDonald Foundation to defray the cost of the new equipment.  Mrs. Schooley acknowledged the generosity of the foundation: “This is not only a generous gift to the Fine Arts Fiesta, but a gift to all the performers and the people of the Wyoming Valley…”[31]  The McDonald Foundation continues to be a major sponsor of Fiesta in our present era.

            Concentrations on improvements would soon be coupled with the necessity to overcome adversity.  The Agnes flood of 1972 made the 1973 Fine Arts Fiesta an extraordinary undertaking.  Although the effects of Agnes had decimated Public Square, city officials and Fiesta directors thought it necessary to hold the event on the Square, its traditional home, as a way of revitalizing the downtown with a show of confidence.  The 1973 Fiesta was also scheduled for two weekends, breaking with the long-standing tradition of encompassing only one weekend.[32]  As a means of attracting thousands of visitors to downtown Wilkes-Barre, the Fiesta has long been a boon to center city.  Fiesta President Mr. Popky and General Chairperson Gerry Maguire stressed to the public the determination of the directors to produce the finest Fiesta in history for 1973.  The first weekend included the complete, traditional Fiesta program.  On the second weekend, the center stage area of the Fiesta was isolated for additional performances, crafts-in-action, and art displays.[33]

            The above-mentioned sound and lighting improvements and the directors’ determination to present not only one weekend of Fiesta, but two successive weekends, was perhaps the greatest display of leadership and fortitude up to this date.  Cooperation with the Greater Wilkes-Barre government had constantly been a calling-card of the Fiesta, but this relationship was augmented in 1973.  The recovery and survival of downtown Wilkes-Barre became a concern for not only business and politicians, but for all citizens.  By participating in the Fine Arts Fiesta both weekends in 1973, citizens were able to express their support of recovery through civic pride and monetary contributions.

            Due to the need to attract visitors to downtown Wilkes-Barre in Agnes’ aftermath, primary emphasis was once again placed on magnetizing Fiesta crowds through quality performances and innovations.  Local favorites continued to headline the festival and bring appreciative Fiesta-goers to Public Square.  Participation by local high schools and colleges through concert bands, orchestras, choirs, poetry readings, and theatrical performances continued apace.  The Ballet Society of Wyoming Valley, Little Theatre of Wilkes-Barre, Young Orchestra of the Northeast Pennsylvania Philharmonic, and the Northeast Pennsylvania Philharmonic Orchestra remained favorites from past Fiestas.  Crafts-in-action also continued to draw art-watchers to center city.  Egg dying and paper cutting by the Wilkes College Polish Room Committee, painting and crafts by Ms. Mary Beth Korutz, and wooden crafts by Nevin Nonnemacher are just three of the crafts-in-action participants that remained familiar faces in the middle of the decade.[34] 

            Two other mainstays on the Fiesta schedule continued to draw spectators to the event.  The sculpture garden, imported from New York, commanded attention due to the recognition gained by of its contributors.  Additionally, the “Café Under the Trees,” compliments of St. Andrew’s Orthodox Church, provided Greek cuisine in an atmosphere intended to relax the mind and body from its ingestion of art exhibits.  The “clothesline” exhibit of current paintings and arts displays of various nationalities also figured prominently in the Fiesta program.[35] 

            Sensing the need to augment the current program with additional performances, Fiesta directors turned to out-of-town entertainers and artists.  A painter-in-residence, Stanton Miller of Binghamton, New York, and a sculptor-in-residence, Jonathan Stephen Conway of Lansdale, Pennsylvania, made their Fiesta debuts in 1975.[36]  These two artists demonstrated their techniques at the Fiesta as an enhanced “crafts-in-action” exhibit.  A parade and concert by a “Mummers” band also appeared at Fiesta for the first time in the mid-1970’s.  Out-of-town performers and artists had begun to express a desire to come to Fiesta due to the expanding reputation of the event.[37]  Listed in the “Calendar of Events in Pennsylvania,” the Fine Arts Fiesta began attracting statewide and nationwide attention on a larger scale than ever before. 

            As Wilkes-Barre recovered from the Agnes disaster, it became apparent that downtown revitalization was both desirable and necessary.  Due to construction on Public Square, the 1977 Fine Arts Fiesta was held on a cleared area adjoining Pomeroy’s Department Store.  Mr. Popky announced in March 1977 that the theme for the 22nd Fine Arts Fiesta was “A New Era Dawns for Downtown Wilkes-Barre” as a salute to the multi-million dollar downtown renewal project.[38]  Despite having to hold Fiesta on a cleared patch of land at the intersection of Public Square and North Main Street, the 1977 Fiesta program was traditional and innovative through a mixture of local and out-of-area artists.  It was apparent, however, that Fiesta yearned for its natural home, Public Square.  As the downtown renewal project began to unfold, Peter Bohlin, vice-president of Fiesta and architect for Wilkes-Barre’s redevelopment project for Public Square, explained that “many of the changes to be made on Public Square will be helpful to the fiesta, adding to the beauty of the surroundings and providing improved facilities.”[39]  In particular, the improved staging capacity on the Square greatly enabled Fiesta to grow beyond its past.

            Fiesta had continued to make strides in the period spanning 1966 and 1977.  It stabilized its growth, encompassed new themes, and met extraordinary difficulties with determination and a positive spirit.  As the “new” Public Square opened in 1978, it was apparent that Wilkes-Barre’s premier outdoor draw would continue to gain notoriety and attract visitors to the Wyoming Valley.

 

1978-1987: Precursors for Expansion

            As the 1977 Fine Arts Fiesta theme implied, a “new era” had dawned for downtown Wilkes-Barre.  With Public Square’s healing process complete thanks to the renewal project, Fiesta was able to move back to its natural home after a one-year hiatus in the vacant lot adjacent to the former Pomeroy’s Department Store.  The 1978 edition of the Fine Arts Fiesta commenced a new era for the event: one filled with enhanced expectations and the vision of transforming the event from a local arts festival to one of the premier arts shows in the Commonwealth. 

            1978 and 1979 were years of stabilization for the Fine Arts Fiesta.  Acclimation to new surroundings on the reconfigured Public Square hindered most opportunities for innovation.  Instead, Fiesta directors focused on quality entertainment involving many mainstays of past Fiesta programs.  Since Fiesta’s inception, the local community had come to associate Fiesta with educational enjoyment with no charge of admission.  As a free gift to the people of the Wyoming Valley, Fiesta had guaranteed large crowds and a friendly atmosphere.  Back on the Square, focus was placed on maintaining the quality of exhibits and performances while continuing the tradition of giving to rather than receiving. 

            Local groups espousing ethnic and cultural diversity remained a predominant part of the Fiesta program during the late 1970’s and early 1980’s.  Groups such as the Saint Mary’s Traditional Ukraine Dancers, the Polish National Singers, and the Lithuanian Combined Choir appeared on the Fiesta stage.  Local talent in the category of performing arts also continued to be seen at Fiesta.  The Ballet Society of Wyoming Valley, Little Theatre of Wilkes-Barre, and Stegmaier Gold Medal Band produced outstanding performances as they had in many previous Fiestas.  Finally, local high schools and colleges continued their involvement in the Fiesta program.[40]

            An Invitational Arts Show, presenting a “cross-section of the work of artists living and producing in Northeastern Pennsylvania” also left a positive impression on Fiesta-goers.[41]  Participation by the “general” public, rather than from a select group of artists and exhibitors, became a possibility.  The Invitational Arts Show was a precursor to the current Juried Art Show which attracts substantial community participation on an annual basis.

            While the Fine Arts Fiesta stabilized in the late 1970’s with an eye toward the future, it began a new decade in 1980 by looking to the past.  For the 25th anniversary of the event, Fiesta was dedicated to its founder, Annette Evans.  Like most historically-marked celebrations, Fiesta peered into the past to extract a vision for the future.  Al Groh authored an original poem, entitled “Fiesta/Twenty-five Years: A Tribute to Annette Evans.”  The closing line of that poem reads, “The arts are celebrated/In the public square/a free gift/all people share/because one woman/saw beauty there.”[42]  Although twenty-five years had passed, Mr. Groh’s poem reminds everyone, in a beautiful way, how Fiesta started: as a vision.  While Fiesta is not the work of merely one person but the culmination of numerous geniuses, Ms. Evans’ legacy remains as the vision and direction behind the Fine Arts Fiesta.  Newspaper articles of that year display a nostalgic side of Fiesta: the humble, “one-shot deal” arts show that coincided with the 1956 Sesquicentennial celebration.  As the Times Leader noted in 1980, Ms. Evans’ “’one-shot deal’ started a tradition that observers say ‘rolled along on its own momentum.’”[43]  That same article notes the growth of Fiesta,

                        “No performances were held after dusk, the stage was small, limited

                        sound equipment was used, and the fiesta was held for only three days.

                        programs were merely attached to trees.  Since its beginning days, the

                        fiesta has grown to include over 50 performances and 20 artistic

                        displays.  Artists now sell as well as display their works.”[44]

 

            The oft-cited “spirit of Annette” continued to thrive twenty-five years after Fiesta’s nascent beginning.  Twenty-five years after its beginning, Fiesta was still a free gift to the people of the Wyoming Valley.  Twenty-five years since its inception, Fiesta continued to showcase local talent for a local audience.  And perhaps, as the Citizens’ Voice stated in 1980, “Annette Evans is smiling down on her people, at her fiesta in the town she so dearly loved.”[45]

            With twenty-five years of history on their side, Fiesta directors began looking ahead to the next quarter-century.  For the Fine Arts Fiesta, the early 1980’s combine a retention of the traditional Fiesta flavor with a glance into a much larger, innovative future.  Food continued to be restricted to nonprofit organizations in the early 1980’s, with many local ethnic groups still involved.  While the corpus of Fiesta remained intact, directors eyed a future of greater information flow, enhanced public awareness, and greater overall societal consciousness.  A Public Information/Relations Committee and a Speakers’ Bureau were created to oversee the effort[46].  Fiesta directors realized that increased public awareness would augment attendance, fundraising, and virtually every other aspect of the event and its planning. 

            In addition to creating new committees to oversee growth, Fiesta leadership changed hands for only the third time in its history.  Murray Popky’s seven-year tenure as president was followed by the election of Architect David Wilson to the post.  Artist Carol Fetterolf became general chairperson of the event.  Their election continued the tradition of promoting arts-minded citizens to head Fiesta.  With some arts festivals, as advertising executive and Fiesta Publicist Isadore Goldberg explained in 1981, the art gets lost in the desire to turn a profit.  Not so with the Wilkes-Barre Fine Arts Fiesta, said Goldberg.  Arts-minded citizens had founded Fiesta and citizens possessing artistic acumen continue that tradition.  Mr. Wilson, an architect, and Ms. Fetterolf, a one-time painter, followed in the footsteps of their creative predecessors.[47]  The 1981 theme, “Friends and Family at the Fiesta,” embraced the past while preserving the present.  Its aim was to present “a range of performances and exhibits broad enough to encompass everyone in the family, from toddler to senior citizen.”[48]  As a free gift to the people, the founders of Fiesta intended to provide enough breadth of entertainment to draw entire families to the event.  Since its inception, Fiesta has been an all-inclusive endeavor attracting a diverse audience.  1981 did not break with that tradition and its theme is evidence of that.

            As the 1980’s rolled along, the need for more improvements to the Fiesta accoutrements became evident.  For the 1984 edition of Fiesta, improved shelter for the craftspersons, various art exhibits and displays, and food vendors made their appearance in the form of additional larger and more secure tents.[49] 1984 was also the first year Fiesta directors talked about the actual number of visitors to the Fiesta.  Ascertaining the attendance of a free event held in such a public location as center city, Wilkes-Barre is extremely difficult.  General Chairperson Carol Fetterolf, though, in 1984 had a pretty good idea; she estimated that 50,000 people strolled onto the Square during Fiesta weekend.[50] 

            “Forever Fiesta” marked the 30th anniversary of the Fine Arts Fiesta in 1985.  As 1985 General Chairperson Brian Benedetti explained, “For most of us it seems like Fiesta has gone on forever.”[51]  Mr. Benedetti had a point: over a generation of Wyoming Valleyites had grown up with Fiesta as part of their lives.  Whether they witnessed their first orchestra performance as a child, volunteered in their young adulthood, or aided in Fiesta’s planning as an adult, Fiesta’s thirty-year history spanned many people’s lives.  Over the course of those thirty years, Fiesta became associated with the coming of warmer weather. 

            After thirty successful editions of the Fine Arts Fiesta, some began to look towards off-Square sites for the event.  “It really is time to grow,” explained Brian Benedetti in 1986, “I know we can do it.  If we get the money we can add two more stages and bring in name talent.”[52]  Mr. Benedetti envisioned a Fine Arts Fiesta that extended down South Main Street in Wilkes-Barre and included a stage and vendors in the Midtown Village.  Mr. Benedetti’s aspirations coincided with Fiesta’s goal to become better known outside the Wyoming Valley.  “We want people to know we are here.  We want to turn Wilkes-Barre into the hot-spot of the state, the third weekend in May,” elucidated Mr. Benedetti.[53]  The period 1986 through 1988 mark the first time in Fiesta history where expansion was so extensively discussed.  Habitually emphasizing survival and performance quality, Fiesta turned from consistently portraying the present to significantly articulating future plans.  Fundraising became a major theme of newspaper articles covering Fiesta.  Concurrent with expansion was the emphasis on retaining the traditional Fiesta spirit and flavor.  Commendable is the fact that Fiesta remained, and still remains, free to the public.  An obvious method of raising funds is charging for events; instead, Fiesta preserved the spirit and vision of Annette Evans and Alfred Groh by keeping the event free to the public. 

            As the end of the decade approached, expansion of the Fine Arts Fiesta was transformed from vision to reality.  The 1987 Fiesta exceeded 100,000 in attendance according to Brian Benedetti—its largest turnout ever.  Additionally, Mr. Benedetti stated that food sales were up sixty-five percent and arts sales thirty-five percent from the previous year.[54]  Although alternative sites continued to be discussed, the 1987 Fiesta proved that vast success could be attained on Public Square. 

            The success experienced in 1987 boded well for future Fiestas.  As changes began to be implemented at a greater pace, the face of Fiesta was altered as well.  The move from a small arts show to a full-fledged arts festival was underway.

 

1988-present: Expansion, Expansion, Expansion!

            Following the success of the 1987 Fiesta weekend, directors and board members altered their plans for a permanent alternate site and instead focused on improving Fiesta on Public Square.  Rain hampered the expansion plans in 1988, however.  Less than a dozen people turned out for the once all-important opening ceremonies, according to newspaper records.[55]  Although Mr. Benedetti estimated attendance at 88,000 for the weekend, turnout for opening Thursday was down 20,000 from 1987.  Always the optimist, Mr. Benedetti placed attendance from Friday and Saturday as comparable to previous record high figures.[56]

            As the rain from 1988 dried, Fiesta directors prepared for a 1989 festival exceeding all previous expectations.  At a Fine Arts Fiesta meeting on December 5, 1988, Mr. Benedetti outlined the need for a long-range plan.  Minutes from that meeting read, “He said our purpose is to be a full scale, multi media visual performing arts festival with a continuous series of exhibitions and performances over four full days.  We include ethnic foods and children’s features with a sense of variety and professionalism.”[57] 

That same meeting included a discussion concerning revisions of the by-laws.  A motion was entertained to create a committee to oversee the revision.  This proposition initiated a series of meetings and discussions that would culminate on January 18, 1990 when the revised by-laws were presented to the Fiesta board.  Perceivable in the revised by-laws are three major modifications from the 1958 document.  First, the nature of lawsuits had changed over the course of three decades.  Article IX of the 1990 by-laws permits the “elimination or limitation of the liability of directors of nonprofit corporations…”[58]  Providing for the indemnification of directors and officers became a major reason for the revision.  Lawsuits resulting from activity at or around Fiesta became a very real possibility, as did the prospect of directors and officers becoming a party to lawsuits.  The restated by-laws protected the personal assets of directors and officers and ensured that community participation would not be hindered due to the specter of looming lawsuits.  Additionally, adding the office of executive director became a major driving force behind the by-law alterations.  This move provided a day-to-day manager of Fiesta to be compensated for his or her duties.  It was envisioned that an executive director would become a cogent force behind the planning and staging of Fiesta.  Brian Benedetti was subsequently selected as the first executive director.  Finally, and perhaps most importantly, language modification was a major issue.  Article I, stating the purpose and goals of the Fine Arts Fiesta, discarded the 1958 phrases aiming to “educate” the people of the Wyoming Valley in the arts and to “raise the level of tastes within the community.”  Instead, the expression “to encourage and foster the development of participation” was used to describe Fiesta’s primary purpose.[59]  The condescending tones of the 1958 language is debatable; however, by 1990, this language was outdated and in need of replacement.  Since a major goal of Fiesta is to provide participation in the arts, the revised language corresponded to the nature of the event.

While revising the by-laws was a work-in-progress, the 1989 Fine Arts Fiesta exceeded all previous Fiestas in scope, participation, and attendance.  “This is a transition Fiesta, from this little thing on the Square to a full-blown arts festival,” said Brian Benedetti.  For the first time, a portion of Public Square was closed to traffic.  Thanks to outstanding cooperation from Mayor Lee Namey, an artist himself, Fiesta was able to grow beyond Public Square while remaining adjacent to it.  Commercial food vendors set up around the perimeter of the Square in the inside street lane.[60]  The extra room was sorely needed.  Arts and craftspeople displaying and selling their wares increased from 15 in 1988 to 53 in 1989, thanks in part to the evolution of the Artist’s Market.  Efforts at recruiting top artists from other festivals had paid off. [61] 

Creating a pedestrian-oriented central city was the goal of Fiesta.  120,000 Fiesta-goers were anticipated to have visited the arts festival over its four-day run.  Weather-wise, 1989 was a terrific year.  The weather attracted thousands to Public Square to witness the arts and exhibitions while rain and windy conditions had turned people away in 1988.  Also, Fiesta directors initiated a billboard campaign prior to the 1989 Fiesta.  Twenty billboards across the state advertised Fiesta to millions of people who probably had never associated Wilkes-Barre with the fine arts.[62]  In an order to promote student art and participation in Fiesta, the annual poster contest was inaugurated.  Country-folk artists Jonathon Edwards headlined a Fiesta lineup that stuck to the expansion theme and attracted talent from outside the area. 

Although 1989 marked the greatest expansion year in Fiesta history, it retained many of its favorite programs.  Local high schools continued to play a large role in the area of band shell performances.  The Wilkes- Barre Little Theatre made a traditional appearance and the children’s “big top” performances were a hit.  Although Punch and Judy had retired, puppets, clowns, mimes, and artists entertained children in what remained a favorite aspect of the Fine Arts Fiesta.

Not even heavy rain could dampen the spirit associated with Fiesta’s 35th anniversary in 1990.  At this juncture in Fiesta history, Gary Womelsdorf assumed the presidency.  Mr. Womelsdorf had served and continues to serve Fiesta in a number of capacities.  The number of artists displaying and selling again went over the threshold of fifty set the previous year.  Inclement weather could not keep Fiesta-goers from making the 1990 festival one of the most successful ever.  “It’s one of the best things to happen in the city.  If we had more things like this in Wilkes-Barre, the downtown would thrive,” exclaimed Wilkes-Barre resident Jan DeHoff.[63]  Thirty-five Fiestas had officially passed since Mayor Kniffen’s opening chiming of the Old Ship Zion Bell in 1956.  Fiesta continued to be held on Public Square, remained a free gift to the people of the Wyoming Valley, and retained its emphasis on quality arts and performances.

Continuing the successes of 1989 and 1990 meant an increase in fundraising efforts.  This endeavor was dealt a blow in early 1991 when it was announced that slashes had occurred in the annual Pennsylvania Council on the Arts budgets.  Because funding had already been handed out for the early spring, only late spring and summer arts shows were set to lose out—including the Fine Arts Fiesta.  The PCA grants represented roughly ten percent of Fiesta’s production budget.  Commonwealth financial difficulties had prompted the state government to earmark one million dollars in PCA money into a budget reserve.  Fiesta directors had allocated much of the money anticipated from the PCA to performances.  To offset these losses, a call for increased contributions was made and Fiesta directors appealed to local political leaders to reverse the damaging cuts in the 1991 budget. 

Despite this setback, the 1991 Fiesta hosted the most outstanding pair of performers to date.  Mary Wilson, a former member of The Supremes performed Saturday night while Alison Krauss and her band, Union Station, took the stage Friday night.  Krauss won a Grammy for best bluegrass recording in 1990.  “These performers take Fiesta into a major presenting festival,” stated Mr. Benedetti.[64]  Combining a main member of The Supremes, one of the most successful female musical groups in history, with an up-and-coming star in the country/bluegrass genre was a major coup for Fiesta.  It provided name recognition that spanned generations and genres.

1991 was also the first year that performances were “signed” for the hearing impaired.  Howard Fedrick, current Fiesta president, had seen this in action while attending a Los Angeles street festival the previous summer.  It was an innovative technique that was a first for Fiesta.  Questions surrounded how many people would benefit from such a service.  “We don’t know if we already have an audience which would appreciate the sign language interpretation or if we are creating an audience by offering this service,”[65] Mr. Fedrick stated.  Signing of certain performances was abandoned in 1993 after a study of its limited impact was made.

            The 1989, 1990, and 1991 Fine Arts Fiestas mark a distinct movement towards increased arts and performances.  Expansion had taken place with food vendors setting up around the Square on the inside lane of traffic.  Continuing to attract big-name performers, increasing both the professional and juried art shows, and expanding the Fiesta in general were the major goals of the mid-1990’s.  Mixing local talent with out-of-town name performances had become the standard for both the visual and performing arts.  While the event was still held for the local community, the programs began to be augmented more and more with familiar names in the field of entertainment.  Thursday nights at the Fiesta continued to include local high school musical groups during the day with the Wilkes-Barre Little Theatre closing the evening with a performance.  Musical groups such as blues group The Detonators and acoustical specialist John Hartford entertained Fiesta crowds.  Bands such as John Stanky and the Coal Miners, The Anzalone Brothers, and The Great White Way graced the Fiesta Bandshell.  Local music by the Wyoming Valley Harmony Chorus, the Wilkes Community Conservatory Children’s Chorus, the Wyoming Valley Band, and the Mozart Club of Wilkes-Barre preserved the Fiesta tradition of presenting local talent as a source of community pride and exposure.  The Lee Vincent Orchestra established itself as a Fiesta institution by closing the Bandshell on the final Sunday of the annual Fiesta.[66] 

            As the Fiesta rolled along in the mid-1990’s, the arts festival again expanded off Public Square.  Joseph Persico, a board member and local laywer, was elected President in 1993.  Howard Fedrick was elected to that office in 1996 after Mr. Persico’s term ended.  Mr. Fedrick, an American history professor at King’s College, continues to serve Fiesta as President.  In the early part of the decade, many Fiesta directors expressed a desire to expand the event down South Main Street towards the Midtown Village complex.  “Arts Around the Town,” the 1997 Fiesta theme, featured performances in a variety of off-Square locations, both down South Main Street and around the town.  Midtown Village hosted musicians Jerry Haines, UUU, and Freight Train.  Center City establishments Boscov’s, Circles on the Square, Ramada, Mellon Bank, and the Kirby Center Gallery hosted exhibitions and artist receptions.  Market Street Square, the F.M. Kirby Center, and Lowe’s Restaurant on Market Street also participated in the “Arts Around the Town” theme.  Outside of central city, orchestras and musical group performed at the River Street Jazz Café.[67]  Visual and performing arts were literally popping up “around the town.” 

            1997 represented a deviation away from the normal “on the Square” visual and performing arts shows.  Like many of the innovations introduced in the late 1980’s and 1990’s, a test run was necessary before the exception became the norm.  Subsequent Fiestas would have to prove the efficacy of holding arts shows at off-Square locations.   

            Continuing in the long-established Fiesta tradition of talented, recognized bandshell performances, the Shirelles’ Shirley Alston Reeves highlighted the 1998 event.  Alston Reeves fronted the Shirelles, an all-girl group of the 1950’s and 1960’s and delivered, by all accounts, a performance that rivaled the great Fiesta concerts of past years.[68]  In addition to outstanding bandshell performances, the “Arts Around the Town” theme for 1998 continued the practice of off-Square participation.  Highlighted in 1998 were exhibitions that featured art at several Wilkes-Barre businesses.  Represented were employees at Mellon Bank, Lowe’s Restaurant, Boscov’s, the FM Kirby Center, and Blum Brothers.[69]

            Anticipated attendance during the Fiesta weekend remained around 100,000 throughout the latter half of the decade.  The impressive run-down of events was given attention extensively in 1999,

                        “This year’s Fiesta will feature 52 artists, five on-site exhibitions,

                        10 off-site art exhibitions, children’s tent performances, eight strolling

                        children’s performances, 33 bandshell performances, four strolling

                        musical performances and two off-site concerts.”[70]        

            Fiesta had come a long way since its twelve-organization beginning in 1956!  Despite the obviously expansion of the event, Fiesta founder and current advisor Al Groh still sees the same spirit that enveloped the Square on the opening day of the very first Fiesta: “It’s still an event for the people in our area.”[71]  Even though a substantial number of the artists are out-of-the-area exhibitors, the main core of Fiesta-goers remains from within the Wyoming Valley.  Artists and those selling their wares have gotten used to and look forward to seeing the same faces come back every year.  Typical of this attitude is Scott Matyjaszek, an artist from Rochester, New York.  Despite having to travel over seven hours to display on Public Square, he finds Fiesta “intimate” and observed that local people “respect artists.”[72]  The attention Fiesta garners has become widespread, but its scope and focus have remained within the local environs.

            Fiesta 2000 was labeled “45, Fine, and On-Line.”  The last of those three monikers relates the fact that Fiesta had found a home on the World Wide Web.  The site http://www.fineartsfiesta.org went online in 2000 and remained a major source of all things Fiesta since.  Besides traversing the information superhighway, Fiesta maintained its status as a full-scale arts festival as it entered the new millennium.  Some arts shows feature only visual arts, performing arts, or other varieties, but the Fine Arts Fiesta remains the oldest full-scale arts show in Pennsylvania.  A Times Leader article in 2000 noted that “For an event that changes little from year to year, the Fine Arts Fiesta manages to seem fresh and draw thousands of people time and time again.”[73]  In reality, it is the mixture of the traditional and the innovative that has kept Fiesta fresh from year to year.  Each aspect of the event combines the old with the new.  Certain food vendors, such as the Irem Temple Stewards, are mainstays, while others, such as Kiss Fresh Fruit, are new.  Some performances, the Lee Vincent Orchestra, for example, appear at Fiesta annually, while the major performances are altered to keep the product fresh.  The location, time-frame, and, most importantly, the spirit of Fiesta have remained the same since its inception.  Innovations such as off-site exhibitions, out-of-area talent, and a willingness to embrace new technology have kept Fiesta from being labeled as outdated.  

            The 47th Annual Fine Arts Fiesta will grace Public Square this May.  It will look, sound and smell as similar as last year and recent memory.  Nonetheless, a travel down memory lane will uncover a Fiesta that was much different in appearance and outlook.  Survival has given way to expansion.  Financial difficulties have eased under a well-organized fundraising campaign that tests the civic-mindedness of local individuals, corporations, and businesses.  Tenuousness has led to stability and an eye to the future.  Fiesta history is filled with fascinating anecdotes, tid-bits, and stories.  The real history, however, is written every third weekend in May when over 100,000 people step onto Public Square in Wilkes-Barre and continue the tradition laid out in 1956.  Living in the present and learning from the past, the Fine Arts Fiesta has laid a course for the future as bright as a sunny Saturday afternoon in late May.

 

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Butkiewicz, Joe.  “Despite the Rain, It Was a Fine Arts Fiesta,” Times Leader, 21 May 1984, 3A.

Butkiewicz, Joe.  “Forever Fiesta,” Times Leader, 30 May 1985, 9A.

Butkiewicz, Joe.  “The Fiesta That Could,” Times Leader, 9 May 1986, 10.

Choman, Al.  “Shirelles’ Shirley Alston Reeves leaves them stompin’ in the aisles at Fiesta,” Citizens Voice, 18 May 1998.

“City to Get Mardi Gras Dress for Sesqui Fine Arts Fiesta,” Sunday Independent, 13 May 1956.

            “Committee Planning 1984 Fine Arts Fiesta,” Citizens Voice, 17 November 1983.

            “Competent Leadership For Fine Arts Fiesta,” Times Leader, 5 June 1965.

            Culter, Sylvia S.  “Happenings in the Arts,” Wilkes-Barre Record, 8 May 1968.

            “Expanded Fine Arts Fiesta Scheduled for City in May,” Sunday Independent, 13 April 1958.

            “Fiesta Aids Central City,” Wilkes-Barre Record, 13 July 1958.

            “Fiesta Begins May 18 With Many Exhibits,” Times Leader, 26 April 1967.

            “Fiesta Is Scheduled 2 Weekends in May,” Times Leader, 20 April 1973.

            “Fiesta Lists an Operetta,” Wilkes-Barre Record, 14 May 1969.

            “Fiesta to Begin Thursday,” Times Leader, 13 May 1981.

            “Fiesta to Run May 23-27 on Square,” Wilkes-Barre Record, 17 January 1968.

            “Fiesta Wins National Group Recognition,” Wilkes-Barre Record, 28 May 1963.

“Fine Arts Exhibition Has Colorful Opening,” Times Leader, 24 May 1956.

            “Fine Arts Fiesta,” Times Leader, 21 May 1958.

“Fine Arts Fiesta,” Times Leader, 23 May 1956.

“Fine Arts Fiesta ’98: Catch the fever this weekend in downtown Wilkes-Barre,” Citizens Voice, 14 May 1998.

“Fine Arts Fiesta Dates Listed,” Times Leader, 29 March 1977.

“Fine Arts Fiesta Directors Hear Reports,” Wilkes-Barre Record, 26 January 1972.

“Fine Arts Fiesta Has Atmosphere of Paris,” Times Leader, 21 May 1957.

“Fine Arts Fiesta Here May 23-25 Promises to be Gay Cultural Mecca,” Sunday Independent, 12 May 1957.

“Fine Arts Fiesta Opens 3-day Stand on Square,” Wilkes-Barre Record, 25 May 1956.

“Fine Arts Fiesta to Open Thursday on Public Square,” Times Leader, 12 May 1980.

“Fine Arts Fiesta Sets 1977 Dates,” Times Leader, 24 June 1976.

“Fine Arts Fiesta Will Have Painter, Sculptor,” Times Leader, 13 May 1975.

Fine Arts Fiesta Board Minutes, 5 December 1988.

Fine Arts Fiesta Board Minutes, 19 October 1982.

Fine Arts Fiesta Yearly Programs, 1972-1976.

Fine Arts Fiesta Yearly Programs, 1993-1996.

Gallagher, Paul.  “Fine Arts Fiesta is Painted Wet,” Times Leader, 20 May 1988, 1C.

Grant, Audi K.  “Annual Fine Arts Fiesta Gets an Excellent Rating,” Times Leader, 21 May 1990, 1A, 9A.

“It’s Fiesta Time in Wilkes-Barre,” Citizens Voice, 9 May 1999.

“Kailowski, Geri Anne.  “Something Special: 34th Annual Fine Arts Fiesta Opens Thursday on Public Square,” Citizens Voice, 15 May 1991.

“Mrs. B. Todd Maquire Will Head 1973 Fine Arts Fiesta,” Times Leader, 5 February 1973.

“Mrs. Belin Opens Fine Arts Fiesta on Public Square,” Wilkes-Barre Record, 23 May 1963.

“Mummers to Have Band at Fiesta,” Times Leader, 1 April 1975.

Muraca, Gary.  “Fine Arts Fiesta a Hit Despite a Wet Canvas,” Times Leader, 23 May 1988, 1A.

            Original By-Laws, 1958, Fine Arts Fiesta, Inc.

            Original Charter.  Fine Arts Fiesta, Inc.

            Sullum, Jacob.  “Drawing Power,” Times Leader, 18 May 1987.

            “Popky Heads Fiesta,” Wilkes-Barre Record, 17 June 1972.