A Message from Dianna Fisher, VP Advancement of Pilgrim Place
Festival is Back Celebrating 75 Years!
One thing is abundantly clear here at Pilgrim Place - we love our
Festival! Since its inception in 1948, the residents of Pilgrim Place have dazzled and impressed surrounding communities with entertainment, artisan crafts, art, garden harvests and plants, and delicious baked goods and treats.
Over the years, Festival has adapted and modified itself to include additional offerings such as ship and train rides, the famous Glue-In and other beloved children’s activities, live readings, and enactments… the list goes on and on.
Due to the COVID hiatus, Festival was not held in 2020 – 2022. This provided resident and administrative planners the opportunity to take a long hard look at Festival. Newcomers and long-time attendees alike will be excited to see some traditions remain as well as some changes to Festival 2023.
There will be a new menu for the dining hall. A Festival Spaghetti Fest will provide an affordable and family-friendly meal that will include meat alternatives for those seeking vegetarian options. Our traditional Food Court will still be available for those who enjoy burgers, chili, salads, and pie! – in an outdoor setting. The Festival Ship is now sporting a very patriotic new look. Also, the entertainment stage will be sporting a video wall to commemorate 75 years of Festival.
There is one thing that has not changed over time. Festival remains our signature fundraising event. Nearly all of the proceeds made at Festival go towards our Resident Health and Support Program. These funds assist residents with unexpected daily living emergencies and provide long-standing support for residents who have been blessed with longevity and have outlived their financial resources. We never want someone to leave Pilgrim Place because they can no longer afford to live here. While we are not a Life Care Community our residents commit to assist one another and maintain a financial structure that will allow the community to support its residents in these ways.
And you - our greater community – also make that possible. Thank you for the years of support, donations, and sponsorship you have so generously provided Pilgrim Place. Be it Festival, the Napier Fellows Program, or the Friends of the Petterson Museum – you generously show your financial support. Like residents, you are allowing those among us to live their best lives and continue their good works in social, civic, and environmental causes without fear or concern that they might run short of financial resources. We thank you for all that you have done and thank you in advance for all that you will continue to do.
We look forward to seeing you for Festival 2023 this November 10-11.