For Immediate Release
August 29, 2011

Enjoy Music, Food, and Fun at the Arts & Olive Festival Sunday, Oct. 2

The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is the largest fundraiser for student scholarships.

The annual Arts & Olive Festival features great music, dancing, art and, of course, fantastic olives and olive oil. Learn how to cure olives at home by watching experts demonstrate the process or simply stroll through the beautiful Cañada College campus sampling fine foods, olives and olive oils. The campus is located at 4200 Farm Hill Blvd., just off Highway 280, in Redwood City.

Established in 1998 as an Arts & Olive Festival to celebrate the 30th year anniversary of our community college, this event is totally staffed by volunteers. The event is co-sponsored by the San Mateo County Community Colleges Foundation and the Redwood City Civic Cultural Commission. Supporters include: Redwood City/San Mateo County Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Business Group.

Cañada College is one of three colleges which comprise the San Mateo County Community College District. It is located just above Redwood City adjacent to Highway 280. The festival is inspired by a grove of beautiful olive trees, some part of a Spanish Land Grant and some relocated from the Panama Pacific Exposition held in San Francisco in the early 1900s.

The college has been a central part and community partner of Redwood City for more than 40 years and the festival features local artists, farmers, chefs, vintners, musicians, and entertainers. Area vendors will offer hand-made arts and crafts, local wines, gourmet food, and cooking demonstrations featuring the star of the event – olives! All of this in a magnificent setting featuring panoramic views of the San Francisco bay.

In the past, the olive festival has been mentioned in Newsweek magazine, Sunset, the San Francisco Chronicle and Craigslist as the up and coming community based event on the Peninsula. The event highlights generates student interest in local history, community art groups, volunteerism, and community outreach.

The Kid's Corner features face painting, balloon art, a storyteller, and puppeteers. The main stage will feature many different types of music performed by local artists. For more information go to Arts & Olive Festival. A $5 donation is requested. The festival is the largest scholarship fundraiser for Cañada College students.

For more information, contact Robert Hood, Director of Marketing and Public Relations, at hoodr@smccd.edu or 306-3340