Press Release - Current
Festive, Free and Family Friendly Event Celebrates Women's History Month
- FOR IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE -
WEEKEND FESTIVAL CELEBRATING PAST ACHIEVEMENTS AND FUTURE PROMISE OF WOMEN TO BE HELD AT ASILOMAR CONFERENCE GROUNDS MARCH 18 & 19, 2006
PACIFIC GROVE, CA, March 13, 2006 - In celebration of Women's History Month, California State Parks will host a weekend festival celebrating the bright future of women at Asilomar Conference Grounds on March 18 and 19 from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. The festival, "Remembering Our Past and Creating Our Future," will feature educational booths, guest speakers, food demonstrations and arts and crafts that are appropriate for all ages. All events are open to the public and free of charge.
Highlighting the festival will be representatives and informative materials on topics such as women's health and wellness, personal motivation, career opportunities, community involvement and leadership. Among the booth vendors scheduled to participate are: the YWCA®, Whole Foods, Women Alive, Asilomar Culinary Team, the National Association of Women, State Parks Lifeguards and more.
Asilomar is an ideal setting for a "celebration of women" as it was the joint creation of the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) and pioneering female architect Julia Morgan. In 1913 the YWCA opened Asilomar inviting multicultural groups of high school girls and young college women to attend training classes in health and recreation, money management, preparation for college exams, driving lessons and in learning to become leaders in their community and in the YWCA. The training would give young women the inspiration and self-confidence to achieve great ambitions in their lives in the new 20th Century.
San Francisco architect Julia Morgan was hired by the YWCA to design sixteen structures for Asilomar. Firm in her mission that Asilomar be a haven of peace and inspiration, Morgan designed the buildings in the true California Arts and Crafts architectural style, with usage of open space, natural light, local wood, and stone. Today, Asilomar houses the largest collection of buildings designed by Julia Morgan in the world, all 13 of which are listed on the Registry of National Landmarks
When the YWCA sold Asilomar to the California State Park system in 1956 it was with the promise that the education of women's history be conveyed, that the conference grounds’ surrounding would remain a learning environment and a driving force of inspiration, leadership and dreams that any person could possess and achieve.
For more information on the "Remembering Our Past and Creating Our Future" Festival, please contact the Asilomar Ranger Station at (831) 372-4076.
# # #
