I spent many weekends at the Sawdust Festival this summer, which has been tradition for me since I moved to Laguna 15 years ago. But this summer I had the added bonus of being able to walk to the Sawdust (and the other art festivals) for the first time. I moved to North Laguna, just a 20-minute walk to all the summertime excitement. No more sitting in traffic in the Canyon coming from my former home off of El Toro, and although I enjoyed the convenience of parking in the Act V parking lot and taking the trolley, I’ve enjoyed my walks to the Sawdust so much more. I would power-walk through my neighborhood to get in some decent cardio, but once I crossed the street at Broadway and Forest and got over to the newly installed Village Entrance with its wide pedestrian-friendly walkways accented with lush landscape, my power-walks turned into strolls. My pace would automatically slow down as I took in the splendor of the surrounding park-like setting, the canyon slopes, the blue sky and the rustic beauty of the Festival of Arts façade across the street. Nature’s serenity overtook my senses despite the crowds of festivalgoers who were all doing the same thing—strolling, smiling and looking up and all around at what makes Laguna special.
Then I see renderings of the proposed art installation for the Village Entrance—a giant white and brightly colored mushroom-like structure which, based on its dimensions, would obstruct our gorgeous canyon and sky views, and based on its aesthetics, would clash with, rather than complement, the existing look and feel of the Village Entrance and festival grounds.
There is something to be said about “less is more.”
Pamela Knudsen, Laguna Beach
How about 100 palms lining the new walk from Forest and Broadway to Sawdust. Local Garden clubs could help install and maintain a world class, flower and palm, entrance to Village Laguna.
Art installations could pay LB a fee to display their art between the palms…