Interview with Julie Wineinger, September 15, 2021

Could you tell me your name and a little bit about your relationship to the Petworth neighborhood?

Yes. I'm Julie Wineinger. I'm the owner of Willow and Lulabelles and also a Petworth resident for about 13 years now.

Could you tell us about some of the memorable celebrations you've been involved with?

Absolutely, there's been many. Probably the biggest one off the top of my head is the Upshur Street Art and Craft Fair, which has been going on for about 15 years now. Kyra Carpenter of Domcoo actually started it, and it was really tiny, and it grew and grew, and grew, and every year it's one of the highlights of the year for the neighborhood. And for the vendors, they say, it's always one of their best shows, that the neighborhood is so supportive. And everyone just has a really great time when the weather's good. Yeah.

What draws you to the craft element, and what do you think is unique about that? Bringing that to the community?

Absolutely. So I think it's during the holiday season. So it's obviously like a prime time for the vendors to be able to support themselves throughout the year, but there isn't—there are not a lot of places and spaces where vendors, crafters can actually show their wares at a reasonable cost, right. So we try to keep it reasonable for vendors and I think that makes it unique and that we get a lot of very small vendors, people who maybe aren't able to have their stuff in a shop or able to have even a standard, standalone space. So, I think that's what makes it really unique is that there are a lot of like very small, small vendors at our shows.

I think you were telling us that you might have some other celebrations you wanted to talk about.

I mean, I feel like there's always a celebration in Petworth. I live right off Grant Circle, and any given day, you can see people having birthday parties, having smaller celebrations. I've had my son's birthday parties at parks and I feel that just almost every day that there's always something to be happy about and celebrate about Petworth.

Just to follow up on that, what role does ice cream play in all that?

A large role. Come by Upshur Street Friday night between probably six and seven and you will see the party happening with ice cream. It's a—Lulabelles, the ice cream shop, is definitely like a gathering place for kids, school. We have so many kids, who their whole school will come, which, so I'll get a message and say, "Oh, my school is going to come and bring a whole bunch of people at XX time. So be ready." So you'll always see a big party in front of Lulabelle's especially with little kids.

Just looking back, as far as celebrating in Petworth from when you first arrived to now, have you seen any kinds of changes in the way you or others celebrate in Petworth?

I mean, I think that, I honestly think—probably yes, but also no. I think block parties and just having a sense of community and wanting to meet and know your neighbors and celebrate their neighbors has been something that has always been a part of Petworth and I think that that's, that's what makes it special. And so I think, in that sense, no, nothing has changed at all because I think people are ready to come out on the street and have a great time. And I think that that's one of the things that's always happened.

Last question. Let's say ten years from now. Where would you like to see celebration in Petworth be?

I mean, I hope that it stays there. I hope that people want to know their neighbors, still. I hope that they enjoy being with their neighbors and spending time together. I think it's really important that, you know your neighbors and that you enjoy their company because we all live in, you know, a very tight, microcosm space. And I think it's important that you enjoy who you spend time with.

Thank you so much.