Camarillo Hopes Circus Gives Festival a Boost

By DAWN HOBBS

July 16, 1997 12 AM PT

SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

CAMARILLO —

For the second time in 33 years, the city of Camarillo has decided to change the date of its annual birthday bash.

Indeed, a lot is different about this year’s celebration, which gets underway Friday.

It’s now called Pleasant Valley Days, instead of Fiesta Days. This year’s event will be held at Camarillo High School, rather than Constitution Park. And a circus, featuring tigers and elephants, will replace the city’s traditional parade.

Organizers hope that the changes will translate into better attendance.

“There’s almost 60,000 people in Camarillo, and we’ve been lucky the last few years to even get between 4,000 and 5,000 people to attend Fiesta Days,” said Joe Wiebelhauf, an original member of the Camarillo Fiesta Assn.

Organizers first considered bringing in a carnival to generate more interest, but finally decided on making Circus Vargas the feature attraction, Wiebelhauf said. The catch was that Circus Vargas couldn’t make it for the late October festival.

The only solution was to change the festival to July, when the circus was on its regular cross-country tour, said Mike Morgan, chairman of the festival.

The first time that the city switched the date of the annual festival was in 1994, when it moved from the end of October to late September because of conflicts with other events, organizers said.

This year’s event will officially kick off Friday at 6 p.m. with more than 50 food, game and craft booths, a concert and the first Circus Vargas performance.

Festivities will continue Saturday, beginning at 8 a.m. with Fiesta Run, a 5K race starting at the high school.

Musical entertainment will be provided throughout the day by 45 RPM’s Classic Rock Band, Channelaires Chorus and The Untouchables Jazz Concert.

On Sunday, the Tailgate 8--Dixieland Jazz Band, the Convertibles 50’s Band and the Piru River Band will perform in between the marionette performances of the Alphabet Soup Puppeteers.

“Quinceanera,” which will be performed in both Spanish and English, is the story about a mouse that is having its 15th birthday party.

“Then Cartomus the Cat shows up and wants to make mouse soup, but Guillerimo, who has fallen in love with the mouse, saves her,” said Arla Crane, a Camarillo resident who created the puppet company in 1971. Crane and her husband Jay now perform about 80 shows per year throughout the western United States.

The Alphabet Soup Puppeteers will also perform “Farm Follies,” the story of Scatabow the Scarecrow, who, with the help of her barnyard friends, finds her special purpose in life.

“The point of the play is to find what you like in yourself. . . . It’s about self-esteem,” Crane said. “You can reach a child’s mind through their heart; it’s the most direct route.”

While Arla Crane writes the stories, Jay Crane creates the marionettes, using wood, rubber, metal and rope. He also paints their faces, and designs and sews their costumes.

The couple say it takes about four weeks to make each puppet and nine months to organize each production, which includes set construction, music, scripts and rehearsal time.

The Cranes got the idea for their company when they received a call from a local library for a storyteller. Arla Crane said that before they knew it, they were traveling with their marionettes throughout California, Nevada, Arizona and Oregon, performing at fairs, birthday parties and Christmas celebrations.

“It’s something that started as a hobby and became a passion,” she said.

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Pleasant Valley Days Events

Prior to the official start of Pleasant Valley Days at Camarillo High School on Friday evening, Circus Vargas will offer a free mini-performance for those who attend the tent-raising at 11 a.m. Friday.

Circus Vargas will hold seven full-performance shows throughout the weekend. Ticket prices range from $4 to $18.50.

Proceeds from Saturday’s 5K race and kids run, $15 per individual and $5 per child 10 and under, will go toward renovation of the track facilities at Camarillo High School. Registration starts at 7 a.m.

A $1 entrance fee to Pleasant Valley Days will go to the high school’s booster clubs.

The weekend’s schedule includes: FRIDAY

6 to 10 p.m. Food, games and craft booths

7 to 10 p.m. The Musical Family Concert

7:30 p.m. Circus Vargas performance

SATURDAY

7 to 10 a.m. Fiesta Fun Run

7 to 10 a.m. Optimist Breakfast

8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fiesta Car Show

10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Food, games and craft booths

10 to 11:30 a.m. 45 RPM’s Classic Rock Band

11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Cool Water Country