CALIFORNIA'S GOLD: COMMUNITY CELEBRATIONS (TV)
Summary
One in this series of travel programs, featuring host Huell Howser, who tours California exploring the state's diversity. This episode examines community celebrations in three California towns and opens with singer Silvana ChuÕs rendition of the theme song, "California, Here I Come." First, Howser visits Marysville for the annual Bok Kai festival. Local resident Janice Nall leads him on a tour of the Bok Kai Temple, the only temple honoring the Chinese god Bok Kai in the western hemisphere. Nall discusses Chinese-American traditions in Marysville and points out several significant objects, including the oldest dancing dragon head sculpture in the U.S., a series of ceremonial swords symbolizing the eight immortals, and instruments used to divine fortunes. Howser also views the Bok Kai parade, which incorporates elements from Chinese, American, and other cultures. The next stop is the annual wisteria-vine open house held in Sierra Madre by the Sierra Madre Beautification Committee. Each March people from miles around come to see the one single wisteria vine planted in 1894, which grew to overtake a house and currently spreads across the homes and yards of both Nelle Solt and Maria Feeney. Several individuals, including Solt and Feeney, comment on the beauty of the vine and recall their memories of the annual open house. Finally, Howser travels to Redlands for the celebration of LincolnÕs birthday. The celebration opens with a parade that consists mainly of Boy and Girl Scout troops and culminates in a visit to the local Lincoln Memorial Shrine. Archivist Don McCue presents some of the items in the shrineÕs collection dating from the Civil War era, as well as the allegorical mural decorating the shrineÕs dome.
Cataloging of this program was made possible by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, 1999.
Details
- NETWORK: KCET-TV (Los Angeles, CA) / PBS
- DATE: June 7, 1992
- RUNNING TIME: 0:29:07
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:53938
- GENRE: Magazine
- SUBJECT HEADING: California - Description and travel; Festivals - California
- SERIES RUN: PBS KCET - TV series, 1991-2012
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Huell Howser … Producer, Writer
- Vicki McCoy … Associate Producer
- Charles Bausback … Researcher
- Huell Howser … Host
- Silvana Chu
- Maria Feeney
- Abraham Lincoln
- Don McCue
- Janice Nall
- Nelle Solt