It started small and through grassroots efforts \u2014 as many events do \u2014 and evolved in the years that followed. With a rich history now behind it, a new chapter for the former La Jolla Festival of the Arts is about to emerge.<\/p>\n
As the venerable all-volunteer festival prepares to commemorate a 30-year milestone, the chair of the event, Peter Ballantyne, cannot help but wax nostalgic, yet look gleefully to the future.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a fundraiser, this is something that started out small, by a group of people, when it began in 1986,\u201d said Ballantyne, who is also president of the Torrey Pines Kiwanis Foundation. \u201cThere was a feeling that an art show would be a good fundraiser.\u201d<\/p>\n Beyond the three-decade benchmark, there are several other notable aspects of this year\u2019s program. For the first time in its existence, the festival is leaving La Jolla, and the move prompted a new name, San Diego Festival of the Arts, to reflect the pivotal change.<\/p>\n The art show, which is being held June 11-12 this year, has been a mainstay in San Diego\u2019s arts and culture scene, and Ballantyne said he has high hopes with the transition to the County of San Diego\u2019s 2-year-old Waterfront Park, which will provide the wealth of green space needed to put on the two-day event.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re elated about the fact we\u2019re going to be the first art show at Waterfront Park,\u201d said Karen Mullen, event manager for the art festival. \u201cThis is something that is going to allow the event to grow.\u201d<\/p>\n While there is a groundswell of enthusiasm for all the changes, Ballantyne and Mullen were quick to point out they were not actively seeking a new venue for the festival until a series of large-scale circumstances were set in motion.<\/p>\n A year and a half ago, Ballantyne said he and other organizers learned they were going to have to leave their longtime perch at the UC San Diego campus. The reason: The space they had been using was scheduled for disruption, as expansion work on the Metropolitan Transit System\u2019s trolley line got underway.<\/p>\n \u201cWe had an idea that our time would be rather limited, so we began looking at alternatives,\u201d Ballantyne said. \u201cWe wanted to keep it in the [La Jolla] area, but finding a place that has five acres and adequate parking anywhere in San Diego is a challenge.\u201d<\/p>\n After ensuring no stone went unturned in their search, Ballantyne said organizers were supportive of relocating to the Waterfront Park.<\/p>\n \u201cIt seemed to make sense for a lot of reasons,\u201d he said. \u201cBeing Downtown, there is going to be more foot traffic.\u201d<\/p>\n Several dignitaries, including Councilmember Todd Gloria, are expected to kick off this year\u2019s festival to help usher in its new era. Gloria will read a proclamation to commemorate its move and milestone anniversary.<\/p>\n Members of the U.S. Navy Band Southwest will also help kick off this year\u2019s revamped festival. A ceremonial concert, including a rendition of the national anthem, will begin at 11 a.m. on the first day of the event.<\/p>\n High-profile changes aside, there are many aspects of the festival that will remain the same, starting with the event\u2019s benefactors. Since its earliest days in the mid-1980s, the festival has served as a fundraiser for adaptive sports programs geared toward persons in the community with disabilities.<\/p>\n Over the years, the festival has netted nearly $2 million toward 30 county-based programs.<\/p>\n As has been the case in the past, Mullen said the roll-up-your-sleeves spirit of volunteerism associated with the event will remain an important foundation for years to come.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are literally thousands of hours of volunteer time that go into making all of this possible,\u201d said Mullen, whose day job is associate publisher of San Diego Magazine. The publication has been one of the festival\u2019s sponsors in recent years.<\/p>\n Also untouched is the heart and soul of the program, the artists. Ballantyne said nearly 200 artists are expected to take part in this year\u2019s festival. The artisans represent nearly every form of media imaginable, including painting, sculpture, photography, glass jewelry, ceramics, wood and fiber.<\/p>\n While many of the participants are San Diegans, the festival also has drawn artists from other corners of the U.S. and the globe.<\/p>\n Alongside the art displays, the festival will continue showcasing musical talent, including a number of local acts. The itinerary is still being assembled, but one confirmed participant in this year\u2019s roster of musicians is San Diego-based, Grammy Award-winning jazz guitarist Peter Sprague.<\/p>\n With the countdown clock ticking and final pieces of the preparatory puzzle coming together, Ballantyne said he is optimistic this year\u2019s festival will go off without a hitch and usher in the new era for the popular festival in its new venue.<\/p>\n \u201cThe arts culture scene is very vibrant in San Diego,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The 30th annual San Diego Festival of the Arts will take place June 11 and 12 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Waterfront Park, located at 1600 Pacific Highway, Downtown.<\/p>\n Tickets include one day general admission: $12 online, $14 at the door; full weekend admission: $16 online, $18 at the door; and children 16 and under and active military are free. All tickets can be purchased online at sdartsfest.org\/tickets<\/a>. Para m\u00e1s informaci\u00f3n visite sdfestivalofthearts.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"Artist](\"https:\/\/sandiegodowntownnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/SDFestivalArtsPhoto3webtop.jpg\")
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