Art in the Park is one of the largest juried art festivals in the Southwest. Held in scenic Boulder City, the event has been a part of the community for more than 60 years.
Over two days in October, the festival unites artists and art lovers alike as it raises funds for the Boulder City Hospital Foundation. The event has raised millions of dollars for needed equipment and capital improvement projects at the Boulder City Hospital.
The foundation’s newly appointed director, Leslie Woodbury, brings a fresh perspective and enthusiasm to her inaugural Art in the Park event.
Q. Please tell me about this year’s Art in the Park.
A: This is its 61st year. On Oct. 4-5, we plan to feature approximately 300 artists from around the country. More than 300 vendors and 12 food trucks will be present with entertainment all day on the center stage. We anticipate approximately 80,000 visitors over the two days. It is free to the public and held in four parks throughout the city: North and South Escalante, Bicentennial and Wilbur Square.
I look forward to meeting the artists and seeing the community come out and support the hospital. Nicholas Ivins, an award-winning artist and illustrator, is our featured artist. His work has been featured in publications, events and various venues nationwide. Nicholas creates colorful comic-inspired pieces. We feature one of his pieces, Oakley, on all our collateral material.
This year, we’re excited to have new food vendors and artists. Some popular vendors are returning including Out of Our Gourd, which offers hand-painted seasonal creations using gourds. These creations are so popular that they usually sell out of their inventory on the first day.
Joah Thiel of Melodic Hardwood Drums features his beautiful music boxes and acoustic furniture.
Q. How does Art in the Park serve as a fundraiser for the hospital?
A: The hospital is a nonprofit organization that relies solely on funding from the foundation’s efforts, private donations and a small percentage of state-allocated funds for rural communities.
Art in the Park is our largest annual fundraiser. We raise money through corporate sponsorships, artist registration and vendor booth space rentals. All the proceeds go directly to supporting the hospital. It allows for the purchase of capital equipment and building improvements.
Since 1995, we have raised more than $8 million to secure big-ticket items such as orthopedic surgical equipment, a CT scanner, an EKG, an Ultrasound and a nuclear medicine system.
Q. Does the foundation organize other fundraisers?
A: We host a Heart of the Community Gala every spring, at which we honor an individual who’s done a great deal for Boulder City. We honored Sara Denton this year for her devotion to Boulder City Hospital and Art in the Park.
The Gala is a formal dinner with a silent and live auction in the Boulder Creek Golf Club pavilion. We usually have 250 attendees. This year’s event raised over $200,000 for the hospital.
Q. What is the history of the Boulder City Foundation?
A: The Boulder City Foundation loosely started in 1964 with Art in the Park. Sara Denton and her friends, the Pink Ladies, knew the hospital was struggling. To help, they banded together and formed the Hospital Auxiliary Committee. The committee organized the first Art in the Park, bringing artists together and inviting the public to attend the event in hopes of raising funds through selling the art pieces.
That year, a famous artist from Arizona, James Swinnerton, was the featured artist. His art was displayed in Sara’s house, directly across from the event’s location.
The night before the event, Sara called the President of Valley Bank, Perry Thomas, and invited him to Art in the Park. He came that night and purchased every piece of Swinnerton’s art. It hung in the Valley Bank for years, except for one piece, which was left hanging above Sara’s fireplace. It remains there, today. The first year, the event raised $2,500.
The Boulder City Hospital Foundation was officially formed in 1995 and has grown ever since. Every October, we raise between $200,000 and $300,000 for the hospital.
Q. Tell me about your background and why you joined the foundation.
A: I’ve lived in Boulder City for 35 years, and my husband has lived here his whole life. We love it here.
Before joining the foundation, I raised money to save the Boulder City Museum. The museum is housed in the back of the Boulder City Hotel, which was built in 1931. The hotel was closing, and we needed to raise money quickly. The museum couldn’t keep up with its mortgage payments.
Over three years, we raised over $1 million to pay off the museum’s mortgage and keep it in operation.
I believe we must preserve our history because Boulder City is unlike any other small town between Phoenix and Los Angeles. We tell a national narrative here. In my opinion, if a city loses its history, it loses its identity.
Q. How would you like to see the foundation grow?
A: I would like to see the foundation raise money for more programs, such as awarding scholarships to medical students for their education and, in return, practicing in Boulder City. Also, there is a need to set up a grant program for patients who can’t afford health care.
Next year, I hope to add fundraisers to raise money specifically for those two programs.
Q. How is Boulder City Hospital part of the community’s history?
A: A consortium of private construction firms joined to build Hoover Dam, calling themselves Six Companies.
Six Companies constructed Boulder City Hospital in 1931 to serve the Hoover Dam workers and their families. In 1954, the hospital became a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing care for the community.
The hospital moved into its current location in the 1970s. For more than 90 years, Boulder City Hospital has adapted to the changing needs of the city and surrounding region.
Q. What is its mission in the community?
A: It is the only rural nonprofit hospital in Nevada. It is not supported by a taxing district, mining dollars or a corporate health system.
Our priority is to provide a safe and personalized experience for all our patients. I believe our professional staff provides exceptional care for everyone.
Certified as a Critical Access Hospital, it offers services ranging from emergency care to long-term treatment. It provides primary care, acute care, physical therapy, surgery, radiology and lab services — and we’re proud of that.
We work hard to embrace innovation and continually strive to improve our care and service. Our long-term care program is one of the best in the valley.
Q. What areas does the hospital serve?
A: Boulder City Hospital serves all the small outlying communities such as Laughlin, Bullhead City, Searchlight and Kingman, Arizona. It plays a vital role in serving our region. In case of an emergency, we have the resources to respond to anyone in those areas.
You don’t have to drive to Las Vegas and wait months for services. There are never any crowds or long waiting times. You can always have an appointment. In fact, anyone can come here. It’s like the best-kept secret.
Q. What is the biggest challenge facing the hospital and foundation?
A: Our biggest challenges are recruiting physicians who want to work in a rural community and funding.
Q. How can someone support the foundation?
A: You can support the foundation’s efforts at different levels. A simple way is to attend Art in the Park and purchase items from our vendors. That encourages them to return every year. We plan to sell raffle tickets for $2 apiece during the event, so people can buy one or more if they have a small amount of money to give. Also, we need volunteers. If anyone has time to give, they can call the foundation office. We rely on 180 volunteers for the two-day event.
Other ways are to attend our spring gala or support our December annual appeal. We ask everyone in the community to donate and support the hospital.