The 2 Gallon Mugs

In 2000, we decided to do something special for the turning of the millennium, so I made a 2 gallon mug and hand carved the 2000 Winfield mug design on it. We sold it right away at our first Mug Buffet that year. Unfortunately, I can't locate a photo of it. That was before we had a digital camera. How life has changed!

But a new tradition was started and I continued making 2 gallon mugs for several years, selling them via a "clipboard auction" so more people would get to see it and have a chance of owning it. The next year was 2001 - the year of 9-11, which occurred right before the festival. I can still remember working in the shop, preparing for the festival, and hearing about the plane flying into the Twin Towers, then the Pentagon, then the third plane. The mood of the whole country changed in that instant and no one knew exactly what was happening or if it would continue. Somehow, it was difficult to go on with Winfield preparations and have the normal anticipation for fun and frivolity. But of course, the festival went on as planned, although the prevailing mood that year was a bit subdued and there seemed to be a real comradery exhibited among the folks. We decided to have a benefit auction with the proceeds from the mug going for the relief efforts in New York. The mug raised over $800 which was given to the Red Cross.

In 2005, we had another benefit auction for Hurricane Katrina, giving the proceeds to the Salvation Army. 2006 was the last year we made a 2 gallon mug, which was purchased for Russell Brace by a few of his friends. Russ is the owner of the grand old truck which carries Stage 5. Interest in the two gallon mugs seemed to be waning, so we gave them a rest for the time being. Since then I've made several 1 gallon mugs instead, which are not as elaborately carved thus not as time consuming to make. I hope you enjoy seeing all the 2 gallon Winfield mugs!