Begonia Festival Swim Cap

Just click on the images and move them with your mouse or finger on a mobile device. 

Bathing Cap of Peggy Slatter Matthews

Peggy Slatter Matthews was a professional swimmer and swimming instructor who initiated the annual Capitola Water Fantasy in the early 1950s which helped inspire the later Begonia Festival. Established in the early 1950s, the Capitola Begonia Festival became one of the longest running annual festivals in Santa Cruz County. When it began, three major producers of tuberous begonias were located near Capitola. There had been a begonia festival in Santa Cruz in 1940 and 1941, but it did not resume after World War II. The Capitola version evolved from the Capitola Water Fantasy, held from 1950-1954. The name "Begonia Festival" was not used until 1954, but the organizers later adopted 1952 as the starting date. Peggy Slatter Matthews served several years as director of the Begonia Festival. Although many different activities were held during the festival, the nautical parade was the signature event. The festival was usually held in September over Labor Day weekend. The last festival (the 65th) was held in 2017 because the last local source of begonia blossoms, Golden State Bulb Growers, ceased growing begonias.