Gift Keeps on Giving from the Original Round Top Vintage Renegades Runway

“The Original Round Top Western Vintage Renegades Fashion Show” held during the Spring Round Top Antique Show at Festival Hill proved to be another successful fundraiser for Round Top Festival Institute. Beth Weishuhn, owner of Dirty Bohemian and The Crown Bar in La Grange, gathered pieces from her favorite Western vintage clothing dealers from Warrenton and Round Top for the show including clothing from Renee Rangel of Moontower Vintage, Saint Bohemian and acclaimed Double D Ranchware. Proceeds from this spring’s event will again be used to help Festival Hill improve their already amazing gardens and landscaping.

Fashion Show hosts Beth Weishuhn and Andy Johnson presented a $6,500 check directed to a fund for the Festival Hill Gardens and Grounds through the Greater Fayette Community Foundation. Scheduled again in the charming parlor of the Victorian Menke House, this year’s fashion show is Thursday, Oct. 9 at 7:30 doors open at 7. Tickets are selling out quickly on Eventbrite.com.

This is the fifth donation made by Beth and friends to help with the needs of maintaining an 180-acre campus at Festival Hill. A percentage of the ticket sales from past fashion shows were used to purchase a much-needed state-ofthe- art lawnmower, pole saw and portable sprayer amongst other needed tools.

“We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to Beth Weishuhn and Andy Johnson for their steadfast support in donating their time and resources to the Festival Hill Gardens and Grounds. Your dedication to the Fayette County community and Festival Hill’s mission is invaluable.” stated James Dick, Founder of the Round Top Festival Institute.

The James Dick Foundation for the Performing Arts, along with its sole project, Round Top Festival Institute, was established in 1971 by world-renowned concert pianist James Dick. Since its founding, the Foundation has developed exceptional educational and performance programs year-round and created the 180-acre campus known as “Festival Hill.” This unique site includes performance venues, historic homes, gardens, and natural spaces, making it a crown jewel of Texas.

Inspired by the late entrepreneur, humanitarian, and visionary Cisco Pinedo and his niece Paloma Pinedo of Cisco Village and Oakbones, the Garden & Grounds organizing committee - consisting of Paloma, Jamie Lee Manning, Festival Hill staff horticulturalist Julie Johnson and Associate Curator Pat Johnson, established a bimonthly community service day. Over the past three years, this initiative has engaged more than 90 volunteers from the community, who assist the grounds crew with essential restoration and beautification projects.

Entering the fourth year of fundraising and hosting volunteer service days, Festival Hill is thrilled to announce progress on the bird trail project. Proceeds from The Vintage Renegades Fashion Show will go directly toward completing this trail. The bird trail will feature signage placed along the path to highlight key bird species, including the blue jay, snowy egret, pileated woodpecker, and more. Each sign will display information about the bird, along with recognition of its sponsor. These signs will complement the main trailhead welcome sign and local artist Ellen Hart is contributing original scratchboard artwork of each bird, which will be beautifully reproduced along the trail.

These gardens are open to the public year-round and visitors are always welcome to stroll through the grounds and encouraged to attend one of many performances in the Concert Hall or Chapel held throughout the year.

The Round Top Festival Institute is a non-profit educational organization supported by event income and donations. Donations of any size to support the gardens, music, or other events are appreciated and are tax-deductible. For further information please contact the main office at (979) 249-3129 or go to website at www.festivalhill.org.