Arts Festival Looks Homeward to Bolster Wilshire Square Area

They say that charity begins at home. But in one Santa Ana neighborhood, it begins at 600 homes.

“In the past we’ve done home tours,” said Wendy Zander, one of three co-chairpersons of Saturday’s Wilshire Square Fall Festival of Arts. “But we felt home tours were getting passe. . . . We’d done them so much that people were losing interest.

“We wanted to do a fund-raiser for Wilshire Square, and we wanted to promote the arts--that’s what’s going on in Santa Ana right now. You won’t be viewing whole homes, but you will be going into the homes to see beautiful gardens and artist displays. It’s our first attempt at a fall festival.”

There’s a lot lined up for a first attempt.

The event features a street fair with Santa Ana Parks and Recreation Department game booths and live entertainment, including bilingual pop singer Olivia Ayala, Jim Blackie’s science show and the Na Mele Makou Hawaiian Band. Among exhibitors setting up display tables are several Orange County arts organizations and the Santa Ana Zoo; Barney the Talking Police Car will answer questions.

The arts festival hopes to call attention to the attempted revitalization of downtown Santa Ana, most notably the development of the Artists Village at the Santora Building; the festival will feature works by a half-dozen downtown-based artists including sculpturists Bret Price, Dean Smith and Fred Rose.

Several locations along Birch Street have been designated for purchasing tickets and dispersing maps and schedules.

The event may not be a home tour per se, but festival activities take place in 11 historic homes in the neighborhood that is 50 to 70 years old.

One residence, adopting the theme “Fine Arts,” hosts a sculpture garden and an “interactive video kiosk” where visitors can learn more about local artists. Three domiciles honor Dia de Los Muertos, the Mexican Day of the Dead, with a neighborhood ofrenda (Mexican-style altar), a Frida Kahlo exhibit and folkloric dancing.

Two connecting backyards salute “Harvest Memories” with a lecture and exhibits on historic Santa Ana, while two other backyards dedicate themselves to “Artistic Nature” with a craft show and farmers market. Three houses on Ross Street offer “Art Happenings” such as a gourd art demonstration, and silversmith and Victorian lamp displays.

Where do the proceeds go?

“We publish a newsletter so everyone knows what’s going on in the neighborhood,” Zander said. “We do graffiti removal, and WHIP--the Wilshire Home Improvement Project. We go out and help people paint fences.”

And remember, charity only begins at home.

“We work with other historical neighborhoods as well,” she said.

* What: Wilshire Square Fall Festival of Arts.

* When: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday.

* Where: 1200 block of South Birch Street in Santa Ana.

* Whereabouts: Take the Costa Mesa (55) Freeway to the Edinger Avenue exit and head west; turn right on Birch. Or take the Santa Ana (5) Freeway to the Main Street exit and head south; turn right on McFadden Avenue and left on Birch. Tickets, maps and schedules available at the hospitality house, 1225 S. Birch St., and at the corners of Birch and Russell Avenue as well as Birch and Wilshire.

* Wherewithal: Adults, $8. Children 3-17, $3. Children under 3, free. Family ticket (good for two adults and four children), $22.

* Where to call: (714) 836-1227.