Guide to the Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce Rice Festival, 1963-1996, (bulk 1993-1995) Collection Number: 2001/059 Sacramento Archives and Museum Collection Center Sacramento, California
Descriptive Summary Collection Name: Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce Rice Festival Collection Number: 2001/059 Collector: Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce Extent: 2 ½ cubic feet Repository: Sacramento Archives and Museum Collection Center 551 Sequoia Pacific Boulevard Sacramento, California 95814 Phone: (916) 262-7072 Abstract The Rice Festival Files are part of the Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce Collection. The Rice Festival files are divided into ten series: Administrative, Friends and Sponsors, Media, Entertainment, Concessions, Venue, Photographs, Guest Book, Artifacts, and Audio Visual. Within these are reports, correspondence, newspaper articles, programs, brochures, schedules, budgets, job descriptions, promotional materials, audio tapes, a video tape, ephemera, and photographs. The festival was held on a Saturday and Sunday, June 26 and 27, 1993; June 25 and 26, 1994; June 24 and 25, 1995. Some materials, including Festival brochures, give the Festival dates without stating the year. The origin year of some files was recognized based on a combination of a stated day, date, and/or entertainer; these files are labeled in the collection with circa years. 2
Administrative Information Access: The collection is open for research. Publication Rights: All responsibility for possible infringement of copyright laws is assumed by the patron. If the material from the collection will be used for publication and/or commercial purposes, the patron will be required to accept all copyright obligations through a signed statement. Preferred Citation: [Identification of item, prepared according to standard citation style such as MLA, ALAL, or Chicago], [Call Number]. Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, City of Sacramento, History and Science Division, Sacramento Archives and Museum Collection Center. Acquisition Information: Acquired from the Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, Jeff Crews, Senior Vice President, 2001. Processing History: Rice Festival processed by Barbara Smith Eychaner, 2006. Finding Aid prepared by Barbara Smith Eychaner, 2006. 3
Administrative History: The Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce was founded in 1895 and is the second largest chamber in California. The Chamber serves the business and economic development needs in Sacramento, El Dorado, Placer, Sutter, Yolo, and Yuba counties. The Chamber s goal is to act as a catalyst in transforming the Sacramento region into an international center for commerce, learning, culture, and recreation. The Chamber utilizes a variety of business techniques, including networking, marketing, and education to assist business development in the Sacramento region. The Chamber is located in the heart of the state s capitol city, enjoying its close proximity and access to local, state, and federal politicians and key business decision makers. Close political connections have allowed the Chamber to be actively involved in policies beneficial to the community s economic development. [Chamber website: http://www.metrochamber.org] Early in 20 th century, there was one primary agricultural cash crop in the Sacramento Valley, wheat. New developments in processing led to expanded growth of cash crops that could be shipped to broader markets. Rice was first grown in the Valley by William Grant on the Balfour- Guthrie Ranch west of Biggs. In response to his request, the United States Department of Agriculture sent him 250 varieties of rice. He planted each in a separate field, recorded the development, and retained those that grew well. His first crop was harvested in 1909 and won a gold medal at the Seattle Fair that same year. 1 By 1919 there were 25,000 acres of rice grown in the mid-sacramento Valley and over one million sacks harvested. In 1929 Butte County had 68,000 acres in rice, Colusa County had 53,000 acres, and the total for the Sacramento Valley was 250,000 acres. Rice was first seeded by air in 1929. Fifty acres per day could be seeded with ground machinery; by air, 500 acres could be done at a reduced cost. 2 By 1961, the Sacramento Valley grew over 90% of the rice produced in California. The 2005 crop was estimated to be worth $435 million. 3 California s 2006 rice production was estimated to be about 4 billion pounds, grown on 500,000 acres, most in the Sacramento Valley. Much of the planting is now done by aerial application. 4 The Rice Festival held its first organizational meeting on held February 12, 1992, with representatives of the California Rice Promotions Board, Gridley Arts Council, Gridley Chamber of Commerce, and California Women of Agriculture. Other members representing the rice industry, rice growers, local businesses, and communities were appointed. 1 Joseph A. McGowan, History of the Sacramento Valley, (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Co., 1961, 202-203. 2, 140, 236-237. 3 Jim Wasserman, High prices ease rice farmers pain, Sacramento Bee, 27 October 2005, D-1. 4 Jim Downing, Planting by Plane, Sacramento Bee, 20 May 2006, D-1. 4
An advisory board was also appointed. A lawyer, a rice grower, an insurance agent, and representatives of the Yuba County Farmers Market and Farm Bureau were named. Bylaws based on those used by the California Prune Festival were accepted with some corrections. Executive and finance committees were established, standing committees were as follows: Artists, entertainment, events, graphics, layout, personnel, revenue, and vendors. The fourth weekend in June was adopted as the festival weekend. Sponsors were solicited from the business community, at various levels from $10,000 to $500. The Rice Promotion Board contributed $25,000 toward expenses. The Rice Festival was held at the Butte County Fair Grounds in Gridley from 1993 to 1995. In 1996 it was announced that the festival would move to Sacramento as it had outgrown the Gridley facility. Gridley had a population of 5,000 in 1995 while the festival drew 22,000 attendees. The Rice Festival would honor Sacramento s agricultural heritage and would be held September 19-21, 1997, at Cal Expo according to Rusty Hammer, chief executive office of the Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce. 5 Hammer was quoted in the Sacramento Bee as hoping the Rice Festival would be as large as Gilroy s Garlic Festival. We will get big name entertainment, have celebrity chefs, cooking competitions, and educate people on the importance of rice... We will try to build the world s largest Rice Krispie. 6 The City of West Sacramento sponsored the International Rice Festival in October 1997. References in 1998 to the International Rice Festival centered on classic car displays. No further mention of the festival is contained in the public record. No one now employed at the Chamber recalls the Chamber s relationship with the festival. 5 Carlos Alcala, Loss of Rice Festival is the Last Straw, Sacramento Bee, 21 July 1996, B-1. 6 Kimberly A. Moy, Capital Cashes in on Many Festivals, Sacramento Bee, 4 August 1996, B-1. 5
Scope and Content The Rice Festival is a series within the Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce Collection consisting of two and a half cubic feet of documents and artifacts. The Administrative series of the Festival collection contains the mission statement, bylaws, articles of incorporation, and many of the minutes of the board meetings from the Festival inception in 1992 until it was transferred to the Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce in 1996. Job descriptions for the various activities of the board are included. There are critique surveys from all three years of the Festival. The collections contains various brochures and flyers, and maps of the Butte County Fairgrounds. Material pertaining to public relations and event management of the Festival from Quantum, Tsuruda and Whittcom & Associates are held here. The Festival materials cover insurance (different kinds for different activities), legal documents, and licenses. The collection contains materials related to the registration of the Festival trademark, the Franchise Tax Boards, state and county health departments, Alcoholic Beverage Control, Board of Equalization, and the California Rice Promotion Board. The Friends and Sponsors series consists of lists of the friends and sponsors, letters of solicitation and agreement, volunteer sign up sheets, and artwork and correspondence related to the Friends of Festival pins. An interesting history of the involvement of one volunteer group is also included. The Media series contains the media kits given to the press to promote the Festival and a sample media kit from the Rice Journal. There are also clippings, tear sheets, newspaper tabloids that served as programs for the event, correspondence related to radio promotional spots, and a schedule of the media advertising. Correspondence from the Gridley Herald and ASCAP are also in the series. The Festival held a competition for a mural depicting and promoting rice; that material and camera ready logos are contained in the series. Mark Bradley, graphic designer, did the Festival brochures; the contracts and his promotional material and posters are housed here. The first folder in this series, 1:50, contains an especially good Festival overview and some ephemera. The Entertainment series is the largest with sixty-five file folders. The series contains promotional material and quite a few photographs for the performers (Savoy Brown, Taj Mahal, and Aaron Tippin, for example) who entertained at the Festival as well as entertainment schedules, budgets, and contracts. The entertainers include bands, singers, magicians, and a number of groups specific to children s entertainment, such as a petting zoo and rides. The series contains information about the displays held in conjunction with the Festival an equipment show, a display of aerial application of rice seed, crop dusters, antiques, crafters, demonstration artists, and a scarecrow competition. The Festival also held a Fun Run; the participant list, registration forms, and maps for all three years can be found in this series. The Concessions series contains information about Rice Alley, the food booths, the farmers market, and beverage sales. The cook-off, rice recipes, and celebrity chefs as well as vendor contracts and letters of agreement are included. 6
The Venue series contains information regarding the layout and rental agreement with Butte County Fairgrounds, equipment rental, Festival decorations, and the master copies for sponsor signs. The Photograph series includes promotional photos of entertainers and a large number of snapshots of the Festival, including the Poster Party, Rice Alley, children s entertainment, cooking demonstrations, entertainers, and a few 35 mm slides used in advertising. The photographs are not dated. The collections is completed with a guest book from the 1993 Poster Party, Friends of the Festival pins from 1995, and audio visual material including a VHS tape of the 1995 Festival and magnetic audio tapes of radio promotions with music by Aaron Tippin. 7
Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce Rice Festival Historical Series Collection Number 2001/59 Box1. Series 1. Administrative Files, 1987-1996, n.d. (1993-1995) Subseries 1.1. Board Minutes and Agendas, 1992-1995 37 folders 3 ff Folder File 1 1992-1993 2 1994 3 1995 Subseries 1.2. Board of Advisors, n.d. 1 ff 4 n.d. Subseries 1.3. Letterhead, envelopes, address labels, n.d. 1ff 5 n.d. Subseries 1.4. Possible Treasurer; budgets, 1993-1995 1 ff 6 1993-1995 Subseries 1.5. Descriptions, 1993-1995, n.d. 3 ff 7 Event description, n.d. 8 Committee job descriptions, correspondence, 1993-1994 9 Committee chairs, job descriptions, 1994-1995 Subseries 1.6. Festival Critique, 1993-1995, n.d. 2 ff 10 Festival critique survey, 1993-1995 11 Festival critique, results, 1994, n.d. Subseries 1.7. California Festivals & Events Association, 1994 1 ff 12 Calfest application and materials, 1994 Subseries 1.8. Clippings, n.d. 1 ff 13 Clippings, n.d. 8
Subseries 1.9. Programs and brochures, 1993-1995, n.d. 2 ff 14 Programs and brochures, 1993-1995 15 Booth layout, n.d. Subseries 1.10. Management, 1991-1994 4 ff 16 Whittcom & Associates, agreement, correspondence, 1992-1994 17 Tsuruda Group, proposal, correspondence 18 Tsuruda/Quantum, proposal packets, 1991-1993 19 Quantum Public Relations, proposals, contracts, correspondence, 1994 Subseries 1.11. Correspondence, 1991-1996 3 ff 20 Miscellaneous correspondence, 1991-1996 Press release: Rice Festival moves to Sacramento 21 Miscellaneous correspondence, 1993-1995 22 Thank you letters, 11 and 12 July 1994 Subseries 1.12. Insurance, 1993-1995, n.d. 2 ff 23 Insurance requirements for vendors, n.d. 24 Certificates of Insurance, 1993-1995 Subseries 1.13. Legal, 1987-1995, n.d. 13 ff 25 Bylaws, Articles of Incorporation, 1992-1993 26 Articles of Incorporation, 1992-1993 27 Materials for incorporation (Festival overview), 1992-1993 28 California Secretary of State letter of approval, 1992, 1994 29 Charitable trust, 1992 30 State of California, nonprofit, 1993 31 State of California, Franchise Tax Board, 1992 32 Board of Equalization permit, 1993 33 IRS employer tax i.d., correspondence 1992-1993 34 California Secretary of State, registration of trademark, 1992-1993 35 State and county health department regulations, correspondence, 1987-1993 36 Alcoholic Beverage Control license, material, 1993-1995 37 California Rice Promotion Board Series 2. Friends and Sponsors, 1992-1995, n.d. 12 ff 38 Festival Sponsors list, ephemera, 1992, 1994, 1995 39 Sponsor reports, Poster Party list, 1992-1993 9
40 Volunteer history, c. 1993 41 Friends of the Festival Pin, artwork, correspondence, 1993 42 Letters of Agreement, 1994 43 Sponsor materials, 1994 44 Friends of the Festival draft letters, lists, 1994-1995 45 Potential Sponsor list, draft letters, correspondence, 1995 46 Volunteers sign-up sheets, 1995 47 Potential volunteer lists; draft letters; rules, 1994, 1995, n.d. 48 Rice growers solicitation letter, 1 April 1994 Growers list 1995 49 Letters of Agreement, sponsor list, 1995 NOTE: Series contains photographs which have been left in place to maintain provenance; recommend they be separated out to Photo Archives. Series 3. Media, 1991-1995, n. d. 19 ff 50 Media material, newspaper tabloids, 1991-1994, n.d. * one item separated out to oversize documents folder, MC 1508 51 Media advertising orders, 1994 52 Potential media, 1993, 1994, n.d. 53 Letters of Agreement for advertising, 1994 54 Advertising scripts, 1994 55 Gridley Herald correspondence, tabloid, 1994 * one item separated out to oversize documents folder, MC 1508 56 Butte County Fairgrounds event programs, tabloid, 1994 *two items separated out to oversize documents folder, MC 1508 57 Clippings, media coverage, 1994, n.d. 58 ASCAP correspondence, 25 July 1994 59 Rice Journal media kits, 1993-1995, n.d. 60 Tear sheets, 1994, 1995, n.d. 61 Media kits, 1995 62 Advertisements, promotions, tabloids, 1995 * three items separated out to oversize folder, MC 1508 63 Radio spots, correspondence, Quantum, 1995 64 Promotional material, 1994, 1995 65 Radio spots, public service announcements, Justin Wilson, 1994, c. 1995 66 Calendar editors list, c. 1995 67 Patron program radio, 1994; Advertising schedule 1995 68 Media lists, n.d. NOTE: Series contains photographs which have been left in place to maintain provenance; recommend they be separated out to Photo Archives. 69 Separated out Legal Size Documents 10
Box 2 Series 3. Media, 1991-1995, n.d. 12 ff 1 State Fair Participation, 1992, photographs 2 1995 Festival Artwork, 1994 3 Camera ready logos, 1995 4 Sign and banners, photographs, 1993-1995, n.d. 5 Rice mural competition, n.d. 6 Rice mural correspondence, 1993, 1994, n.d. 7 Poster and brochure bids, 1991-1995 8 Poster display and location list, 1995 9 Printing estimates, 1994, n.d. 10 Mark Bradley, contracts for brochure, 1994, 1995 11 Mark Bradley, oversize, 1990-1994 * five items separated out to oversize folder MC 1508 12 Sacramento Business tabloid, Sacramento Chamber appreciation, 1995, * one item separated out to oversize folder MC1508 Series 4. Entertainment, 1963-1995, n.d. (1993-1995) 65 ff 13 Schedule and budget, 1994 14 Sound and Recording contracts, 1995 15 Schedule, 1995 16 Working budgets, 1995 17 Poster party, 1993-1994, n.d. 18 Demonstration artists, 1993-1995, n.d. * four items separated out to legal size documents file folder 1:69 19 Artists competition, 1994, 1995 20 Antique dealers: applications and participants, 1995 21 Crafters: applications and participants, 1994, 1995 22 Scarecrow competition, 1995 23 Crop duster show, 1994 24 Equipment show, 1994 25 Aerial Applicant letter, 1995 26 Equipment show, 1995 27 Petting zoo, 1994 28 Rides, 1994 29 Fun run: participants, map, registration form, 1993, 1994, n.d. 30 Fun run participant list, 1995 31 Fun run: participants, map, registration form, 1995 32 Fun run promotional material, 1994, 1995 33 Contracts, 1994, 1995, n.d. * one item separated out to legal size file 1:69 34 Contracts, 1995 11
35 Miscellaneous entertainment, photographs, 1984-1994, n.d. 36 Biographies, draft budget, photographs, 1993-1995, n.d. 37 Potential entertainment, 1990-1995, n.d. 38 Photographers, estimates, contract, 1994 39 Miscellaneous, photographs, 1993, 1995, n.d. 40 Mark Ellinger, 1991-1994, n.d. 41 Little Red Riding Hood; Dangerous Dinos, photographs, n.d. 42 Kevin Sharp, 1995 43 Lucky Strike; Hobo the Monkey, 1995, n.d. 44 Homemade Jam, 1995 45 Zydeco Flames, photograph, 1993, n.d. 46 World Famous Gold Prospecting Expeditions, 1995 47 Classique Productions, 1995 48 Wings of Swing, audio tape, n.d. 49 Michael Mezmer, 1992-1993, n.d. 50 Lasana Bondele; City Folk, 1995 51 David Zacarte, 1994 52 Aaron Tippin, photograph, 1995 53 Savoy Brown, photograph, n.d. 54 Sourdough Slim, photographs, 1991-1993 55 Headline concert, 1994 56 Taj Mahal, photographs, 1991-1994 57 Children s entertainment, 1963-1995 58 Promotional material, photograph, 1993, 1994, n.d. 59 Miscellaneous, photographs, 1994, 1995, n.d. 60 Draft budgets, schedules, promotional material, photographs, 1991-1994, n.d. NOTE: Series contains photographs which have been left in place to maintain provenance; recommend they be separated out to Photo Archives. Series 5. Concessions, 1978-1995, n.d. (1993-1995) 25 ff 61 Concessions and food court materials, 1989, 1994 62-63 Food Booth applications, non-profit, 1993 * one item separated out to legal size document folder 1:69 64 Rice Expo layout, 1994 65 Rice Alley and Food Booths, 1994 66 Rice Alley and Food Booths, 1995 67 Rice Alley participants, 1995 68 Rice Shoppe materials and applications, 1994 69 Beverages, 1994, 1995 70 Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control application, 1994 71 Beverages and ice, 1995, n.d. 72 Beer and wine court participants, n.d. c 1995 73 Coors, correspondence and agreement, 1994, 1995 12
Box 3 74 Farmers Market, 1994 75 Farmers Markets, applications, insurance, and participant list, 1995 76 Farmers Cooperative, 1995 77 Cook-off, application and promotional material, 1995 78 Cook-off applications, 1995 79 Rice recipes, 1978, 1993, 1994 80 Jeanne s Catering, Poster Party menu and invitation, 1995 81 Commercial vendors, 1993, n.d. 82 Souvenir inventories, 1992, 1993, 1995, n.d. 83 Souvenirs, inventory and ephemera, 1993-1995, n.d. * one item separated to oversize folder MC 1508 84 T-shirts, 1994, 1995, n.d. 85 Miscellaneous vendors, 1995 Series 5. Concessions (cont.) 6 ff 1 Cookbook proposal, 1995 2 Celebrity Chef: Justin Wilson, 1986-1994, * two items separated out to oversize documents folder MC1508 3 Celebrity Chefs, photographs, 1993-1995, n.d. 4 California Fruit Tree, 1994, n.d. 5 Screen-printing bids, 1994, n.d. 6 Vendor contracts and letters of agreement, 1994 Series 6. Venue, 1994, 1995, n.d. 9 ff 7 Butte County rental agreements, 1993-1995 8 Equipment rental, 1994, n.d. 9 Butte County Fairgrounds layout, aerial and county maps, 1994, * two items separated to oversize documents cabinet MC 1508 10 Sponsor signs, master copies, n.d. 11 Festival decorations, inventory and job description, 1993-1995 12 Patron program, 1992-1994 13 Patron program, applications 1995 14 Miscellaneous, ephemera, 1994 15 Admission pass distribution, 1993 NOTE: Series contains oversize material; recommend they be removed. Series 7. Photographs, n.d. 10 ff 16 Promotion, entertainers and food, 1 negative, n.d. 13
17 35 mm slides, rice, food, Aaron Tippin, n.d. 18 Festival volunteers, n.d. 19 Poster party (?), n.d. 20 Children s entertainment: clowns, rides, petting zoo, n.d. 21 California Rice Festival float, n.d. 22 Rice Alley, n.d. 23 Equipment show, n.d. 24 Cooking demonstration, n.d. 25 Entertainment, n.d. NOTE: Recommend photographs be separated out to Photo Archives. Series 8. Guest Book, 1993 1 ff 26 Guest book, 1993 California Rice Festival Poster Party, 180 names, 1993 Series 9. Artifacts, 1995 6 items 26 6 95 Friend of the Festival pins, 1995 Series 10. Audio Visual, 1993-1995 Location: 33:125; 127. 5 items 27 VHS video tape, California Rice Festival, 1 June 1995 28 ¼ inch audio tape, Generic Rice Festival, 30 second promo Aaron Tippin, 30 second promo, 19 October 1994 29 magnetic audio tape, California Rice Festival, three 30 second promos, 1995 30 1 inch magnetic audio tape, Aaron Tippin, Working Man s Ph.D. 14 June 1993 31 Wings of Swing, audio tape, n.d. 14