Llama fest July 19th

[Guest guest]

9th Annual Llama Festival a Premier Utah Valley Event

Spanish Fork event draws thousands to see the pride of the Andes

When: Saturday, July 19, 4 pm

Where: KHQN Radio & Krishna temple, South Main, Spanish Fork

Contacts: Charu or Vai 798-3559/787-1510

Web Site: www.utahvalleyllamas.com

 

 

 

Spanish Fork-In their native Peru, Chile, and Bolivia, llamas carry heavy

loads over terrain which is impassable to motorized vehicles. They are the

trucks of the Andes.

In America, life is much easier where they have become popular for

carrying camping gear on weekend hikes and day trips. Many have found a

niche as sheep guards on the open range. Still others, like an RV purchased

with good intentions but somehow never used, spend their lives simply

munching grass and looking gorgeous and exotic to passers by.

The Llama Fest on July 19, now in its 9th year, was conceived as an

opportunity to highlight Llamas and their owners in the most public way

possible: in the overall cultural context of food, music, spinning and

weaving demonstrations, music, dance, and competitions between the llamas

and their handlers. ³If an average attendance of 4,000-5,000 is a public

enough event,² says festival coordinator Chris Warden, ³ then we¹ve been

successful.

ŒThis is an event which offers more than many festivals. Other festivals

have booths, exhibits, and some food. Above that, any festival that has

good, live entertainment will definitely be successful: if over and above

that, you have llamas, which everyone likes, and which are relatively safe

for children, then you have really got something that nobody else can

offer.¹

ŒWe have 50 llamas ourselves at KHQN Radio/Utah Valley Llamas and we

encourage other llamas owners from all over the state to bring their

animals. It¹s a nice family outing where the kids will compete on the

obstacle course and show ring with their llamas for ribbons, and the parents

and grandparents will cheer them on.²

The Llama Fest features a baby llama (cria) corral where the children can

fraternize with their animal counterparts. There is a beautiful baby contest

as well as a costumed event.

Continuous live music and dance on the outdoor stage will come from Los

Hermanos de los Andes, Salsa Brava, Mambo Jumbo, and The Latin Dance

Heritage. Richard Christensen has been to every Llama Fest since 1995.

³Early on in the evening, it¹s nice to watch the llamas and their handlers.

The llamas are well groomed, graceful, and gentle. It¹s watching living art

to the background music of the Andes. Towards dusk the beat picks up and

many of the younger folks, like myself, like to dance.²

Food booths will offer such south of the border favorites as chili,

nachos, emphanadas, braised vegetables with fried curd, bread pudding, spicy

wraps, and lemon fruit drinks.

A good selection of Andean craft items like jewelry, rugs, shawls,

carvings and clothing will be available on site.

There are still openings for volunteers to work for 1 1/2 hours before or

during the festival in exchange for a Llama Fest T-shirt worth $12.00. Call

or email us to schedule your slot. All other fees for admission and meals

apply.

Bring the whole family for a fun and educational experience. Admission is

$3.00 per person or $1.00/ children. Llama Fest IX is sponsored in part by a

grant from the Utah Arts Council & The National Endowment for the Arts.

Visit our web site at www.utahvalleyllamas.com