Ventura County chalked up a weekend of art and beans.
On Sept. 12, hundreds of residents celebrated a legume that once gained the county the tag of "Lima Bean Capital of the World." At the Lima Bean Fest at the Oxnard Historic Farm Park, guests tasted lima bean chili, lima cookies that were a takeoff on snickerdoodles and other treats, using beans to cast votes for their favorites.
Visitors toured the brick residence and winery that was built in 1869 and is believed to be oldest structure in the Oxnard Plain. They played a version of cornhole called lima bean toss. They listened to music played by Frankie and the Lima Beans.
Art was the draw at the Ventura Harbor Village. Artists from across Southern California used the village’s sidewalks as a canvas
in the two-day Ventura Art and Chalk Festival.
Visitors gawked at chalk renditions of toucans, sunsets, self portraits and even social statements. One piece showed a shark chasing Disney characters Dory and Nemo. “Fish are friends, not food,” the caption read.
Some of the images were 3D, including a lawn chair where visitors could sit and pose for photos. There were memorial chalk art pieces too — for Dolly Parton, Sam Neill and Jackie the bald eagle from Big Bear Lake.
The chalk event by the Rotary Club of Ventura featured a craft fair and a row of booths supporting nonprofit organizations.
The weekend also featured the inaugural Spotlight Arts Festival in Thousand Oaks. The Sunday event at the Bank of America Performing Arts Center showcased arts, artists and performers.
Reporter Wes Woods II contributed to this story.
Tom Kisken covers health care and other news for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at tom.kisken@vcstar.com.
SUPPORT LOCAL JOURNALISM: To see more stories like this, subscribe.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Weekend fests bring lima bean cookies, chalk eagle memorials, more
