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Topanga Days 2012 Rocks On
PHOTO BY ANNEMARIE DONKIN, MESSENGER, 2012© Sales of the official Topanga Days 2012 teeshirt raised money for the Topanga Community Club. PHOTO BY KATIE DALSEMER, MESSENGER, 2012© Hilarious cover band, Chevy Metal—which features Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins started off as a lark one night at Abuelita’s—has become a Topanga Days favorite. They played to an appreciative crowd from the Main Stage on Saturday. PHOTO BY KATIE DALSEMER, MESSENGER, 2012© Kelly Price quickly scales the rock-climbing wall and looks pretty while doing it. PHOTO BY ANTHONY VEREBES, MESSENGER, 2012© Members of Topanga Cub Scout Pack 24 prepare their float honoring the veterans of all wars, including those from Topanga. As part of the 1944 WWII Topanga Honor Roll, Musch's father, Sgt. Wallace Musch, was assigned to Pacific Defense and his uncle, Sgt. Raymond E. Musch, was a member of the 7th Infantry Division of the United States Army in the Aleutian Islands. The family also honored their aunt, Eleanor Musch, the wife of Wallace, who served as a nurse in the United States Navy at Pearl Harbor; Wally D. Musch, served in Germany and Steven Edward Musch, born and raised in Topanga, attended Topanga Elementary, was a member of Cub Scout Pack 24 and served in Vietnam. PHOTO BY KATIE DALSEMER, 2012© Reprising a role he has performed at several past Topanga Days festivities, Adam Silbar is once again the game master during this year’s fair. PHOTO BY KATIE DALSEMER, MESSENGER, 2012© Sack Racers catch some air in a race to the finish. PHOTO BY ANNEMARIE DONKIN, MESSENGER, 2012© Bruce Royer (middle background) splashes water all over the kids after the “water relay run and spit” contest. PHOTO BY KATIE DALSEMER, MESSENGER, 2012© Brent Sharon finds some balance in his life. PHOTO BY KATIE DALSEMER, MESSENGER, 2012© The object of this game is to spin around then try to run across the field with the bat to a teammate which is a lot harder (and funnier) than it looks. PHOTO BY KATIE DALSEMER, MESSENGER, 2012© In one of the best Topanga Days surprises, Billy Portman who moved away with his family last year reprises his role as the ever witty emcee.
Visitors enjoyed warm days, great food and hot music at Topanga Days.
Clear and warm weather greeted folks during the 39th Annual Topanga Days Memorial Weekend as thousands of fairgoers enjoyed world class music and delicious food and purchased high-quality items to raise money for the Topanga Community Club.
Once again, Topanga Community Club President Mark Nygard pulled off another fabulous and creative folk fest to the delight of residents and thousands who travel in to enjoy Topanga for a day.
What made it even more special was that Billy Portman returned to Topanga as emcee for the weekend to keep things lively.
MEMORIAL DAY PARADE
The annual Topanga Days Parade was held with 50 participating entries comprising various local businesses, artists, athletes and residents.
As is Topanga tradition, the participants lined up at 7:30 a.m., bringing with them a variety of cars, strollers, bikes, horses,
costumes, boats on trailers, pick-up trucks, stake-bed trucks and motorcycles.
“There was outstanding participation by area residents and businesses,” said Scott Wagenseller, parade coordinator. “I was really impressed with the creativity, entrepreneurship and spirit of the floats.”
As the parade rolled down Topanga Canyon Boulevard, participants clapped and cheered for each entry. My personal favorite was the Shaka Shack float with owners Michael Anapol and the Messenger’s own Kathie Gibboney.
“When it came time to judge, it was hard, with many incredible entries for every category,” Wagenseller said.
Finally, the judges decided the award-winning entries: Best Creative: hillbillyhip and Unusual Tuesday by Noel Rhodes; Best Dressed:
The Cheney Gang by Morgan Runyon; Best Animals: The Koontz Way Gang by Trudy Perry; Best Musical: Topanga Lumber by Ernie Demontreux; Best Athletic: FOCUSfish at Big Rock Ranch by Kristy Beauvais; Best Patriotic: Hutchinson Engineering by Crystal Heldt.
For the parade, Sarah Snyder of Snyder Sutton Real Estate paraded with six adorable dogs that she had rescued from various animal shelters. The fees were completely paid and the good news is that all the pups found homes before the end of the parade!
CUB SCOUT PACK 24 TRIBUTE
Bringing up the rear was Cub Scout Pack 24 and their float honoring Topanga veterans Raymond, Eleanor, Wallace, Steve and Wallace “Wally D” Musch.
World War II Veteran Raymond E. Musch served as a member of the 7th Infantry Division stationed in the Aleutian Islands.
After the war, Raymond and Beatrice settled in Topanga where Steven Edward Musch was born in 1947. Steven attended Topanga Elementary School and was a member of Topanga Cub Scout Pack 24.
Steven served in Vietnam from 1968-1969 as a member of the 321st Transportation Company that hauled ammunition for the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. 
His cousin, Wallace Dexter Musch, was born in 1943 to Ann and Wallace H. Musch.
“Wally D” as he was known, enlisted in the army in 1962 where he worked as a helicopter mechanic in Stuttgart, Germany until 1965.
The Musch family is known for the Musch Trail and Camp in Topanga State Park.
TOPANGA DAYS
After the parade, a friend and I took a shuttle up the hill to the Community Center to enjoy an afternoon at Topanga Days.
Immediately we found Topanga friends, among them Bo Tasker, Sarah Priest, Janice Harmon, Susan Nissman, Senior Deputy for L.A. County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, and Kim Lamorie, the president of the Las Virgenes Homeowner’s Federation.
We met with Will Wicks, the owner of Topanga’s newest surf shop, So What Surf.
“Business is good,” Wicks said of his four-month-old business at the Topanga Center. “We are looking at the coming busy season starting this summer through Christmas. We like to keep it small and hardcore.”
Next we visited Dinah Englund and Tom Vogel of Topanga Candle Company (www.topangacandles.com). They make hand-poured candles in antique tins and when they run out, they will refill them with more of their scented, all natural candle wax.
Their funky, eclectic booth was made from corrugated metal from Froggy’s and weathered pressed-tin ceiling tiles unearthed from their back yard when they moved in.
“We debuted at Topanga Days a year ago and now we are around the world,” Englund said. “We have lived everywhere and moved to Topanga two years ago. Now we feel like we are home. It is the greatest place on earth.”
After listening to some great music and visiting more booths and Topangans, we took refuge in the shade of the giant oak tree.
Under the tree, we watched the fairly disgusting “Water Pouring and Spitting Contest” where participants would fill up, sprint with a mouthful of water, spit it into a bucket and the first bucket to fill up won!
After the winners were announced, none other than Bruce Royer, past president of the Topanga Chamber of Commerce and owner of Tuscali and Royer Studios, splashed water all over his team of kids.
Wandering up to the Community House, we happened upon a great set from the Self Righteous Brothers and Sis, who played a combination of classic Country and Rock hits.
After that, sunburned and happy, we grabbed a fabulous and refreshing fresh lemonade, which was, hands down, the best drink at the festival!
Before we left, we ran into Dawn Moore, who brought along her friend and Topanga Days newbie, Hellin Kay.
Kay, who owns the blog spot, Champagne and Heels, could not believe her eyes, as she discovered the joys of the community.
“I am obsessed. I plan to move to Topanga,” she gushed. “I love the energy, it is so spiritual.”
