About Mariposa Butterfly Festival
Board of Directors
Kimberly Vaughan
Kimberly Vaughan, 20+ year resident of Mariposa, joined the Mariposa Butterfly Festival Board in 2020 as the Creative Director. Serving the MBF Board has provided opportunities for Kimberly to channel her enthusiasm to bring butterfly education to classrooms, inspire global awareness about the importance of butterflies, and celebrate the rich heritage of Mariposa.
With a commitment to diversity and equality, Kimberly serves as the President of LGBTWeddings.com, advocating for inclusivity within the wedding industry and beyond. Her dedication to fostering a welcoming environment extends to her role as a wedding officiant, where she has seamlessly woven together countless couples in matrimony over her nearly two decades in the wedding industry.
Kimberly's impact on the community goes beyond weddings and festivals. She is the creative force behind numerous community events, including the Yosemite Chivalry & Fantasy Festival, Yosemite Goddess Festival, Sacramento Goddess Festival, and International Wedding Festivals across Northern California. Through these events, Kimberly cultivates spaces for connection, joy, and celebration, bringing people together from all walks of life.
Kimberly's most recent role was appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom as the Director of the 35a District Fairgrounds Board. In this capacity, she hopes her contributions will enhance the fairgrounds' offerings and community impact, ensuring our beloved fairgrounds remain a vibrant hub of activity and connection.
Outside of her professional endeavors, Kimberly finds joy and fulfillment in her family life. She shares her life with her husband, Dale Vaughan, and their children, Christian, Justice, Hudson, and Merrick. Together, they embrace adventure, often spending their time kayaking and exploring new destinations.
Michael Hall
Michael Hall VP of the Mariposa Butterfly Festival. He moved from Washington DC to Hollywood, California in the late 1970’s. His hopes were to work in the film business and become an editor, which became a reality. Over the 40 years of his career, he worked on shows such as “Dukes of Hazard”, “Baa Baa Black Sheep,” China Beach, and “The Mentalist.”
He and his partner, Bill Lowe, bought property in Mariposa in 1991 where they built their home. They commuted to LA every week until they both retired from show business in 2014. Retirement from Hollywood didn’t mean retiring in the traditional way. Michael manufactures clothing which sells at the Mariposa Marketplace in Mariposa and Dark Delicacies in Burbank.
Michael is active in the Mariposa community being a member of the Lions Club, working at the Mariposa Marketplace and is the current Vice President of the Mariposa Butterfly Festival. Michael has been on the board since 2015. He is one of the creative forces of the festival with his Jurassic Mariposa exhibit. It appears that Michael is on to something, because some other fairs in the San Joaquin area are beginning to copy his ideas, thus encouraging Michael to make his exhibit bigger and better every year.
Beverly Suggs
Check back soon to learn more about Beverly Suggs
Sherell Wolk
Check back soon to learn more about Sherell Wolk
Bill Lowe
Bill Lowe grew up in Los Angeles, California where he worked in the film industry for 40 years as a television editor. He was one of the Picture editors on “Seinfeld.” Bill and his partner, Michael Hall, bought property in Mariposa in 1991 and built their home their. The two commuted to LA until retirement in 2014.
Bill joined the Mariposa Butterfly Festival committee in 2015 to run a The Mariposa Butterfly Festival Parade. Each year, under Bill and Mike’s direction, the parade grew with Motorcycles, Belly Dancers, Choral Groups, Animal Groups an more. Using skills they learned while working for Disney and Universal Studios, they added animated floats to the parade.
Bill became president of the festival in 2018 with the goal of upgrading and expanding the event in Downtown Mariposa.
Under Bill’s direction, the 2019 Mariposa Butterfly Festival opened with 3 skydivers towing an American flag as they soared across the sky above the town of Mariposa. The three landed near Downtown on California Highway 140 to the cheers of over 5,000 spectators. No other town or city in California had ever seen anything like this. The festival had an attendance of over 9,000 guests. A record for any event being held in downtown.
July 4th, 2021, the Mariposa Butterfly Festival moved to the Mariposa County Fairgrounds. Over 9,500 guests attended the expanded festival, which included a car show, technology pavilion, and more. The Spring of 2022, the Festival expanded again with the introduction of Jurassic Mariposa, produced by Bill’s partner, Michael Hall. Over 11,500 guests were in attendance. With the help of television ads airing on ABC during the Academy Awards and also airing on PBS, the 2023 Festival saw another increase in attendance with over 12,300 guests. Today, The Mariposa Butterfly Festival is known world wide.
Bill Lowe has stepped down from the President’s position, but remains as a board member of MBF. He is also the treasure of the Mariposa Museum and History Center, a member of the Lions Club, and an honorary member of the Rotary Club of Mariposa Yosemite. Bill also makes documentaries, including “Miwuk” and “Ranchers and Packers,” which have received over 10,000 views on YouTube. He has received a best editing award for his new “Pueblo, A Year of Crises in America” documentary from the Washington Film Awards, and Merit awards for Documentary and Music from the Accolade Global Competition. It has been selected by the Chicago Filmmaker Awards, San Jose Independent Film Festival, and The Sacramento independent Film Festival.
Carol Suggs
After a successful career in automotive commercial finance, Suggs left the busy pace of silicon valley for a quieter Mariposa, where in 1999 the family purchased property along with in-laws and created a family ranch where they now raise a small herd of beef production cattle.
Suggs not only enjoys riding, showing and participating in social horse related activities with friends, she also has mentored many young riders.
Since 2006 Suggs has been working in an administrative role at Mariposa County Planning Department where she has seen the department nearly triple in size. She looks forward to retiring soon!
Suggs has been actively involved as a committee chairperson, and officer or board member in several community groups over the last 25 years
including but not limited to the Mariposa Mountain Riders, Merced Horsemen's Association, Fair Horse Show Committee, Mariposa Friends of the Fairgrounds Foundation, Mariposa County Fair Rodeo Royalty Contest and the Mariposa County Sheriff's Posse. She also spent 9 years as the County Wide Horse and Pony Project Leader for Mariposa 4H.
Heading up the TASTE of MARIPOSA for a couple of years, and now sitting on the Board for the Mariposa Butterfly Festival, Suggs is enjoying seeing the Festival grow and is appreciative of all the volunteers that come together to make it happen.