The amount of effort that the Apopka Woman’s Club and the city of Apopka poured into organizing last weekend’s Apopka Art and Foliage Festival did not go unnoticed.
Members of the Apopka Woman’s Club who volunteered at the festival were identified by the green shirts they wear – a detail that Sharon Fisher, club president, emphasized at the opening ceremony on April 26.
“We don’t want to brag about them, but I’m going to brag about them,” she said. “We sponsor Loaves & Fishes. You know, Shop With a Cop is one of our favorites, and it’s just amazing what they do. And so, when you see a green shirt, just give them a pat on the back. They deserve every pat they can get.”
The 63rd annual Apopka Art and Foliage Festival, which took place April 26-27 at Kit Land Nelson Park, was a juried event for artisans and crafters. The festival was also where foliage vendors from around Central Florida and beyond gathered to sell their greens.
One hundred percent of the festival proceeds are put back into the community in the form of donations and scholarships.
Visitors satisfied their palates and musical ears with food from concession vendors, beverages from a wine and beer garden, and musical performances at the park gazebo.
Rounding out the festival features was a conservation area where conservation groups educated visitors about nature and the wildlife; a kids zone sponsored by Home Depot; areas for plant sitters to take care of plants for visitors; plant doctors who doled out green thumb advice for maintaining healthy plants; and tents for displaying student artwork.
Cherrylake Inc., sponsored a Bald Cypress tree giveaway, which city employees conducted in the conservation section of the festival.
Joann Castillo, festival chairman, presented awards to the individuals who have “gone over and above through the years” in mounting a successful festival: Cliff White, a city employee for over 21 years who had “done everything from erecting the school art tents to delivering water all weekend and everything in between;” Donnie Rowland, also a city employee who helped coordinate the park layout and responding to the Woman’s Club for help; Mia Hagins, an Apopka Woman’s Club member who gathered sponsorships from local business for the festival; and Lori Kwerk for helping with park layout, set up, registration and more.
“What makes it so special is she’s not a member of the Apopka Woman’s Club, nor does she live in Apopka, but she takes her vacation every year to come down and help us,” Castillo said about Kwerk. “Lori Kwerk, you are the personification of what the Apopka Women’s Club stands for: bringing women together to benefit their community.”
Hagins has been an Apopka Woman’s Club member for nearly six years, was its treasurer, and has been gathering sponsorships for the festival for about three years.
She began in fall of last year to coordinate the sponsors. There were eight sponsors at the festival.
“First of all, it totally took me by surprise, but it felt nice,” Hagins said in an interview. “It felt nice to be appreciated for the work that we do, but I enjoy reaching out to different companies, organizations, and, of course, coordinating and going back and forth and just helping them come out and first of all, enjoy the plants, enjoy the entertainment, the food.”
Hagins said the festival provides a key opportunity for small businesses.
“I’m a business owner myself, so it’s really great for the sponsors to really be able to be seen and be a part of the community and make their presence known, and what they have to help them serve the community,” she said.
The Apopka Woman’s Club is a not-for-profit civic organization that supports the local community. It is also a member of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs.
The 63rd annual Apopka Art & Foliage Festival winners
Mayor’s Choice – Monica Darling
Fine Art
Best of Show – Carolyn Harding
Award of Excellence – Clyde George
Award of Distinction – Greg Jones
Award of Distinction – Mary Wentzel
Award of Merit – Cissy Heaton
Award of Merit – Elzbieta Weron
Award of Honor – Day Goldsmith
Award of Honor – Mark Kosarin
Creative Craft
First Place – Tim Duchesneau
Second Place – Davely Etkins
Third Place – Dan Erskine
Award of Honor – Kennedy Richardson
Award of Honor – Jessica Griggs
School Art
Wekiva High School
Award of Honor – Kayden Johnson (digital art)
First Place – Eva Gonzalez, “Starry Night” (graphite on paper)
Second Place – Mason Alberts, “Desperate Man”
Third Place – Rimerno Clark, “City Block”
Apopka High School
First Place – Winter Gambell, “Spotted Jaguar”
Second Place – Winter Gambell, “Gambit”
Third Place – Jermaine Robinson, “Life of Jermaine”
3-D ceramic
Kelly Tran, “Sgraffito Jar Project”
2-D art
Noel Amaro, “Tiki Mask” (cardboard acrylic)
The Apopka Chief is an award-winning weekly newspaper serving the greater Apopka area in Central Florida since 1923.
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