Gourd Art Festival can be a mini-vacation

FALLBROOK — Families struggling to make ends meet under the weight of high gas and food prices can enjoy a way to get the most out of their vacation budget this summer with a day or weekend trip to the 12th Annual Gourd Art Festival June 21 and 22 at Welburn Gourd Farm.

“This year we’ve seen a big increase in new visitors requesting information, many of whom say they are looking for low-cost alternatives to vacations or entertainment,” says Phoebe Welburn, marketing director for the event. “One woman informed us that attending the gourd festival this year was part of her family’s plan to substitute several one-day or weekend ‘mini-vacations’ within shorter driving range for their normal two-week vacation to save on gas.”

Because the Gourd Art Festival includes activities like crafting gourds, listening to live entertainment in the wine garden and seeing the huge two-tent display of gourd art competition pieces as well as browsing the booths of more than 35 exhibitors and seeing the racks of over 50,000 raw gourds, most attendees spend all day enjoying the event.

For more information, call (760) 728-4588 or visit http://www.gourdfestival.com.