By Rhea-Frances Tetley
Staff Writer
Crestline’s Grand Poobah contest raises funds for the Crestline fireworks fund. This year, over $2,000 has been raised. The top three candidates are all winners and got hatted during the June 30 community picnic at the San Moritz Meadow and get to ride on the Grand Poobah float in the July 6 Jamboree Days parade.
The rules for the Grand poohbah contest are simple, with only two requirements: The candidate must have a heartbeat and must live in Crestline. Votes for Grand poobah were $1 a vote, so the candidate who gets the most votes (i.e. raises the most money for fireworks) wins. Candidates for Grand Poobah may openly campaign for votes and candidates may vote for themselves as many times as they want to pay another dollar. Every dollar equals one vote toward becoming the winner. This is an election in which it IS possible to buy the election.
The Poobah and his court will ride in the Jamboree Days parade on a float hosted by San Marzano and the home of the Poobah winners will be invited to walk in front of the float holding their banner! The Grand Poohbah contest was coordinated this year by Jennifer Jones from San Marzano.
At the hatting ceremony, it was announced how much each Poobah candidate raised. The top three who were hatted as Poohbahs were Cliff Harrington from the Rim of the World Sports Bar, Mario Carbajal from The Bear Claw and writer Uncle Mott (Douglas W. Motley) from the Alpine Mountaineer newspaper. Other candidates were Phoenix Thompson, Chris Osterhold, Travis Pasternostro, Amber Crubaugh and Bob Frosh.
The theme for this year’s hats is a pirate theme; each of the three Poohbahs gets to be a pirate! Be sure to watch them swashbuckling down the parade route on July 6.
There were seven locations at which to vote this year, including the Rim of the World Sports Bar, the San Marzano Wine and Ale Lounge, Encompass Antiques and Gifts, the Bear Claw, the Crestline Jerky Shop, Crestline Café and Roadhouse Pizza.
The Grand Poobah will be invited to numerous community events throughout the year, including ribbon cuttings and other community events. The “Home of the 2024 Grand Poohbah,” the location which raised the most money will be able to hang their official banner at their business and have bragging rights all year long. The Bear Claw has enjoyed that recognition this last year when its candidate, Gretchen Davis, won last year. They have proudly hung their “Home of the 2023 Grand Poobah” sign next to their entrance this whole last year.
This Grand Poobah fundraiser is in addition to several other ways Crestline tries to raise enough money for the fireworks, including rounding up change at the register at Ace Hardware and several other stores, and collection containers in other retail establishments. The price for the fireworks shows has been steadily increasing; this fundraiser was conceived by Gunnar Jorgenson after COVID, when there were no funds to pay for fireworks. It both makes fundraising a little more fun and eliminates having to charge for admission to the beach at the lake to see the fireworks, which might exclude some families with children. The fireworks are an integral part of the Jamboree Days fun and will be held on Saturday, July 6 this year.
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