“The Original Round Top Vintage Renegades Runway Fashion Show” held during the Fall 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 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.
Fashion Show hosts Beth Weishuhn and Andy Johnson presented a $7500 check directed to a fund for the Festival Hill Gardens and Grounds through the Greater Fayette Community Foundation. This is the sixth donation made by Beth and friends to help with the needs of maintaining an 180-acre campus at Festival Hill and will go directly to the completion of the campus greenhouse. A percentage of the ticket sales from past fashion shows were used to purchase a much-needed state-ofthe- art lawnmower, pole saw, portable sprayer amongst other needed tools and the ongoing bird trail signage project.
This year’s check was presented to James Dick, founder and artistic director, during the annual Round Top Lunch Bunch hosted at the Festival Institute’s Menke House and held in memory of James Dick’s mother Dorothy Dick, who was one of the original members.
“The Weishuhn family’s dedication to the Fayette County community and Festival Hill’s mission is invaluable,” stated James Dick. “We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude for their steadfast support in donating their time and resources to the Festival Hill Gardens and Grounds.”
The greenhouse had been essential in maintaining the unique plants collected by the Institute and as an educational teaching tool for the local high schools. Over the last five years the greenhouse has deteriorated beyond use from hurricanes, extreme winter storms, and age.
Entering the fourth year of fundraising and hosting volunteer service days, Festival Hill is thrilled to announce the progress on the greenhouse restoration project. Over the past three years, led by Julia Johnson, Festival Hill Staff horticulturalist and the Garden & Grounds organizing committee – consisting of Paloma Pinedo, Jamie Lee Manning, and Pat Johnson – this initiative has engaged more than 90 volunteers from the community, who assist the grounds crew with essential restoration and beautification projects on the RTFI campus.
The gardens are open to the public year-round and visitors are always welcome to take a 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.