PHOTO COURTESY OF SHERI KONNINGRUD
What began as a simple family activity has blossomed into a community-wide festival benefitting people in need.
Saturday will mark the fourth annual Purple Ridge Lavender Festival with proceeds going to Martha’s House, a family homeless shelter in Hermiston run by the Agape House. Jim and Sheri Konningrud, who own the Purple Ridge Lavender Farm on Bridge Road in Hermiston, said they never had any grand plans to hold an annual festival. Like many large-scale events, the festival was born from humble beginnings.
“We started visiting lavender fields as a family activity,” Sheri said. “From there, we decided to start planting our own fields.”
The Konningruds, who also own and operate Pea Ridge Embroidery & Signs in Hermiston, soon had a little more than four acres of lavender on their property that produces up to 4,000 plants. They were approached a few years back by Dave Hughes of the Agape House about putting on a festival to benefit his nonprofit agency that provides food, clothing and shelter for people in need.
“The Lavender Festival is completely Agape House’s event,” Jim said. “Dave Hughes approached us because the farm is a huge, event-like location. Without the Agape House, there would be no Lavender Festival.”
PHOTO BY BRETT KANE
“Scheduling the festival takes time, as well as designing and printing signage,” Sheri said. It also requires a small army of volunteers.
“This year, we have over 40 volunteers with a core group of three to four people who plan it out,” Sheri said. Heading up the volunteers is April Hutcheson.
“April is a huge contributor for the festival,” Jim said. “And she does it all as volunteer work. She talks to vendors and schedules the events for the festival. We just provide the infrastructure, promotion and signage.”
A few years ago, the Konningruds built a boutique shop next to their home. The shop features an impressive variety of lavender-themed items for sale including candy bars, hand-painted ceramics, jams, cookbooks, linens, aprons and more.
“One of the main purposes of the gift shop is to provide lavender to people who have little or no experience growing their own lavender,” Sheri said.
Folks attending Saturday’s Purple Ridge Lavender Festival will have a chance to check out the boutique, pick some lavender and enjoy live music and wine tasting – all while helping out a worthy cause. The suggested donation is $5 and $10 for wine tasting.
“The Agape House does a great service,” Sheri said. “For every $1 that is donated during the Lavender Festival, the Agape House donates $7 toward the community. The Lavender Festival is a great way to contribute to the community.”
Visit the festival’s website for more information and the complete schedule of activities.
