Ventura Music Festival announces 2019 Honorees

Betsy Chess is honored by Music Festival for outstanding contributions to arts and community.

The Board of the Ventura Music Festival is very pleased to announce its 2019 Honorees for Outstanding Contributions to the Arts and Community. The new honorees are a prominent citizen and a prominent company, respectively: Elizabeth (Betsy) Blanchard Chess, for outstanding individual contribution, and Limoneira, for corporate contribution.

“Betsy has a unique talent for combining service and leadership,” said Susan Scott, Executive Director of the Ventura Music Festival. “She has demonstrated it time and again and the list of cultural beneficiaries alone includes the New West Symphony, the Museum of Ventura County, the San Buenaventura Foundation for the Arts and the Ventura Music Festival. She gives a lot of both time and treasure to Rotary, Church and many other good things.”

“As to Limoneira,” continued Scott, “this 125-year-old Santa Paula-based company has contributed over $2.5 million in the past ten years alone to a wide range of community groups for projects in education, health, human services, arts, culture and other areas – all with the goal of enhancing community and quality of life. Founded in 1893, Limoneira today is a global agribusiness and real estate investor and a local employer of unique importance.”

The 2019 VMF Honorees will be honored with a video, dinner and live music performance at the annual VMF Honoree Awards and Cabaret Fundraiser on Thursday, April 11th at the Ventura Beach Marriott.