Bank of America Grant to Art Festivals Helps Funds Trolleys

July 14, 2008 – Laguna Beach, California – The Bank of America Charitable Foundation has awarded a $30,000 grant to Laguna Beach’s three annual art festivals, specifically to help fund the free trolley service for thousands of summer visitors. More than half of the trolleys use clean-burning fuel to help protect the environment and save money in fuel costs.

Before the bank’s grant, the Festival of Arts, Sawdust Festival, and Art-A-Fair each made a like contribution out of their own budgets. The savings of $10,000 by each of the three festivals can now be redirected for artistic uses in the spirit of Laguna’s famous festivals.

“Bank of America believes in investing in the communities in which we work and live,” said Kim Burdick, Orange County market president, Bank of America. This grant saves these organizations significant money that can go back into the arts, while maintaining the public’s access to these wonderful cultural festivals in ways that reduce traffic congestion and utilizes environmentally friendly trolleys,”

Jeffrey Redeker, President of the Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce and Civic Association adds, “Laguna Beach has always had a tradition of supporting the arts and environmental awareness. It is really something special for a national organization such as the Bank of America Charitable Foundation to recognize this leadership and look for exciting ways to support the festivals in a manner consistent with the visions of the community of Laguna Beach.”

During the 2007 season, the trolley service carried the greatest number of riders in the history of the summer festival service. It was the 14th consecutive summer where ridership increased over the prior year, with the additional 5,048 riders in 2007. This year an even greater number of riders are expected. The fleet consists of a total of 22 vehicles, a combination of open air trolleys and small busses. Eight of the 15 trolleys run on propane, as do six of the sevenn busses. The trolley service runs the duration of the three festivals, through Labor Day weekend, a total of 10 weeks.

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