Fairview chili festival to change name, time

By Shannon Wells

The Gresham Outlook, Mar 17, 2010

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The recipe for Fairview’s popular “Chili on the Green” will see some changes this summer, including its very name.

Although a chili competition will remain a major component, the event now will be called “Fairview on the Green” and held on Saturday, Aug. 28, about a month earlier than in recent years.

Councilor Barbara Jones, the event’s chairwoman, said the new name reflects the festival’s widening range of activities and appeal.

“Our planning committee recommended the name change after last year’s festival since our event has really grown into more than the chili competition itself,” Jones said. “Our community receives many first-time visitors to Fairview at the event, and it has developed into an opportunity to highlight our great little city.”

The event will still feature the International Chili Society-sanctioned chili contest, but will include a larger arts-and-crafts festival area, an enhanced beer and wine garden operated by Bumpers, a local restarurant, and a silent-auction tent featuring local products and materials from the business community.

The date of the festival, which has been held the third weekend in September, will move up a month to accommodate a later finish time. The Aug. 28 date allows the event to run till 8 p.m. instead of the 6 p.m. ending in September.

“Many visitors to previous festivals stated they did not want to leave since they were really enjoying the music,” Jones said. “We hope moving the festival a little earlier will ensure our visitors get to enjoy the beautiful late summer weather here in Fairview.”

Another change involves funding the festival through the non-profit Fairview Community and Arts Festival organization as opposed to the city itself. This new nonprofit organization is dedicated to encouragement and enhancement of arts, cultural opportunities and family environment in Fairview. The organization allows event sponsors and donors to claim a future tax deduction to which the city wasn’t eligible, Jones said.

For more information on the event, call Devree Leymaster at 503-674-6202 or e-mail leymasterd@ci.fairview.or.us.s