Celebrating La Fonda Icons
LA FONDA'S CENTENNIAL SPEAKER SERIES
December 2, 2022 | 2pm-4pm | La Fonda’s New Mexico Room | Inaugural La Fonda Legends Awards
Join us for our inaugural La Fonda Legends Awards! The event is free and open to the public.
We can't close out our Centennial Year without highlighting some of the important figures that have made a significant impact on our success. Please join us as we honor the renowned architect and designer, Barbara Felix; the famous Harvey Girl Twins, Beverly Ireland and Bernette Jarvis; and, the infamous Americana folk singer, Bill Hearne.
Barbara Felix
Barbara Felix's steadfast commitment to the legendary architect, Mary Elizabeth Jane Colter has created a powerhouse design aesthetic that continues to fuse materials and culture. Under Felix’s watchful eye, La Fonda earned accolades such as the 2012 Heritage Preservation Award for the renovation of La Plazuela, the 2016 Historic Hotels of America Award for Best Historic Hotel and the 2020 Historic Hotels of America Sustainability Champion Award. Her mark on La Fonda honors the past while weaving contemporary design elements and modern technology into all architectural decisions to ensure a relevant and vibrant future. Her talent and professionalism have earned her many accolades, including the 2018 Design + Honor Award by AIA New Mexico, and the 2014 Project of the Year Award from the American Subcontractors Association for La Fonda's historic remodel and guest room renovation.
Beverly Ireland and Bernette Jarvis
Beverly Ireland and Bernette Jarvis – the Harvey Girl twins from Minnesota made their way to the high desert when they were just in their teens. Now in their eighties and still living in Santa Fe, the twins safeguard and share the Harvey Girl experience at La Fonda. They are funny, entertaining and they often share their stories of what went on behind the scenes when they worked at La Fonda as Harvey Girls.
Bill Hearne
Bill Hearne is an iconic folk music artist whom never ceases to have folks two-steppin’ all night in La Fiesta Lounge. Bill and his late-wife, Bonnie started playing at La Fonda in the early 90s. If you’ve heard Bill play, you know that he’s a master artist whose generous spirit resonates through acoustic strumming on his custom Collings guitar and his old-timey Texas drawl belting out hits like New Mexico Rain.
Bill along with his late-wife Bonnie are legends of the early Austin music scene collaborating, recording, and performing with many well-known artists such Willie Nelson, Lyle Lovett, Emmylou Harris, Nanci Griffith, Robert Earl Keen, Jerry Jeff Walker, Butch Hancock, Eliza Gilkyson, and Michael Martin Murphy. Bill has won numerous music-industry awards including a Lifetime Achievement Award from New Mexico Music Commission and is an inductee to the Kerrville Folk Festival Hall of Fame.