2023 Weed Show Winners – crafted compositions connect the hi-desert with Hollywood

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With its 83rd year in the books, the Twentynine Palms Historical Society have announced the winners in the 13 Hollywood-connected categories – such as “Honey I Shrunk the Kids” which limited weed arrangements to 3 square inches. 

Every category was well-represented with 214 entries in the show, and there were some popular returning categories that any Weed Show regular would recognize…

Cheryl: “I like the purple glass… everyone is so clever! It’s fun!”

That’s Cheryl – she’s been coming to the weed show for a while now – 

Cheryl: ”Oh, about 40 years. There are probably a huge number of people in this town who have purple glass collections.”

Arguably one of the largest collectors of purple glass in the area is Cathy Snodgrass, who took home the 1st place ribbon in the “Purple Rain” category.

Cathy Snodgrass: “I have probably about 200 pieces of purple glass.. but I only started collecting about 15 years ago.”

Purple glass isn’t unique to the desert – our plentiful sunshine is really good at turning glass that contains the mineral manganese into a pale purple that pops with fresh and dried desert flowers-

“We were fortunate because of the recent rains, that was a boon. This is Verbena, i have it planted in pots around the house. It gives these little purple flowers. I wanted purple everything, and that was my design. If it was purple, it went in there.”

There were many familiar names on the list of winners – each category had a 1st through 3rd place along with an Honorable Mention. Nearly 500 visitors came out to the Old Schoolhouse Museum in Twentynine Palms for the Weed Show weekend, and cast votes for the people’s choice award. 

(Full list of winners below Photo Gallery)

2023 Twentynine Palms Weed Show Gallery

Here’s a full list of winners from the 2023 Twentynine Palms Historical Society’s Weed Show:

People’s Choice: 
Matthew Rinkes, Category 10 (Music Man)

Judge’s Favorites:
Larry Bowden, Category 2 (Broken Arrow)
Wanda Sandoz, Category 8 (Goonies)
Ted Meyers, Category 6 (Edward Scissorhands)

Category 1: Purple Rain
Arrangements made using perfect translucent sun-purple glass with fresh plant material only, not necessarily native.

1st Place: Cathy Snodgrass
2nd Place: Melodie Allen
3rd Place: Danielle Demerle
Honorable Mention: Allie Jimenez

Category 2: Broken Arrow
Composition using broken or imperfect translucent sun-purple glass as an accessory.

1st Place: Molly Vermette
2nd Place: Ted Meyers
3rd Place: Marilyn Fernald
Honorable Mention: Dana Bowden

Category 3: Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
3” x 3” x 3” overall composition

1st Place: K&K Cole
2nd Place: Larry Bowden
3rd Place: Luke Bowers
Honorable Mention: Ted Meyers

Category 4: Breakfast at Tiffany’s
6” x 6” x 6” overall composition

1st Place: Ruth Libby
2nd Place: Susan Greer
3rd Place: Wanda Sandoz
Honorable Mention: Royal Peterson

Category 5: Fifth Element
Composition using any of the 5 natural elements (Earth, Air, Fire, Water & Love)

1st Place: Lori Cosgriff
2nd Place: Molly Vermette
3rd Place: Ted Meyers
Honorable Mention: Susan Greer

Category 6: Edward Scissorhands
Composition using any type of cutting tool as an accessory.

1st Place: Ted Meyers
2nd Place: Molly Vermette
3rd Place: Ada T. Hatch
Honorable Mention: Karen McClure

Category 7: Back to the Future
Composition using any technology, past, present or future as an accessory.

1st Place: Dana Bowden
2nd Place: Rosie Mendoza
3rd Place: Susan Greer
Honorable Mention: Karen McClure

Category 8: Goonies
Composition using any item related to treasure as an accessory.

1st Place: Ted Meyers
2nd Place: Bridget Wilcox
3rd Place: Karen McClure
Honorable Mention: Wanda Sandoz

Category 9: Independence Day
Composition using the colors red, white and blue

1st Place: Ted Meyers
2nd Place: Audry Ledua
3rd Place: Molly Vermette
Honorable Mention: Ruth Ann Crites

Category 10: Music Man
Composition using any item related to music

1st Place: Kim Ortamond
2nd Place: Cathy Snodgrass
3rd Place: Ted Meyers
Honorable Mention: Susan Greer

Category 11: It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
Anything goes but size and weight rules apply

1st Place: Ted Meyers
2nd Place: Stephanie Verga
3rd Place: Dana Bowden
Honorable Mention: Melodie Allen

Category 12: Iron Man
For children only, aged 12 years or younger. Must use metal as an accessory.

1st Place: Benjen Danza
2nd Place: Senna Andre
3rd Place: Molly Vogel
Honorable Mention: Leo Mejia

Category 13: Big
Oversize category that exceeds size and weight rules

1st Place: Michelle Barber
2nd Place: Sharon Bishop
3rd Place: Wanda Sandoz|
Honorable Mention: Dana Bowden

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