The Remarkable Spring of 1947
It seems amazing in retrospect is that all these projects came together at just about the same time.
Mid-April - The Ojai Valley Inn's dining room and bar open.
April 24, 25, 26 - "The Ojai" Tennis Tournament triumphantly returns. Louise Brough defeated Gussie Moran for the women’s singles title, while Ted Schroeder won the men’s.
May 4 - The Festival's first concert, featuring Martial Singher took place to rave reviews.
May 18 - Macbeth was performed with Ford Rainey in the title role and Iris Tree as Lady Macbeth.
June 15 - The Festival concludes with the Ojai Festival Chamber Orchestra concert.
There were obvious synergies. “The Ojai” tournament and the Festival would benefit from having another first-class hotel in town. The Ojai Valley Inn would benefit from having prestigious events to draw visitors to Ojai. As for the poker buddies, they would get back their golf course and their beloved Tennis Tournament. Plus they would get to enjoy high-quality concerts. And clearly, the poker pals also were civic-minded and wanted to help their community. It wasn’t only members of the upper crust who rallied to support these projects. With the war behind them, the rest of the community was energized and ready to pitch in, too.
Mid-April - The Ojai Valley Inn's dining room and bar open.
April 24, 25, 26 - "The Ojai" Tennis Tournament triumphantly returns. Louise Brough defeated Gussie Moran for the women’s singles title, while Ted Schroeder won the men’s.
May 4 - The Festival's first concert, featuring Martial Singher took place to rave reviews.
May 18 - Macbeth was performed with Ford Rainey in the title role and Iris Tree as Lady Macbeth.
June 15 - The Festival concludes with the Ojai Festival Chamber Orchestra concert.
There were obvious synergies. “The Ojai” tournament and the Festival would benefit from having another first-class hotel in town. The Ojai Valley Inn would benefit from having prestigious events to draw visitors to Ojai. As for the poker buddies, they would get back their golf course and their beloved Tennis Tournament. Plus they would get to enjoy high-quality concerts. And clearly, the poker pals also were civic-minded and wanted to help their community. It wasn’t only members of the upper crust who rallied to support these projects. With the war behind them, the rest of the community was energized and ready to pitch in, too.
The Dream
A beautiful 1948 brochure illustrated the Ojai Festivals' dream. They hoped to build a complex with an inn, theaters, studios, and more. It would be sited at the Honor Farm off Highway 150.
The Reality
Libbey Bowl was built in 1957 as the Ojai Festival Bowl and rebuilt in 2011. The beloved outdoor concert venue is just part of Festival's magic.
