Annual Beaver Creek Art Festival 2010

It all started more than 27 years ago with a man and a gorilla.

Leaving a career as a chiropractor, Howard Alan went into retail, settling in Plantation, Florida. Within the retail store, Howard featured approximately 40-50 artists and crafters on consignment, which was a unique and successful endeavor all on its own. In an effort to bring in the business, he strategically placed a 6-foot-4-inch gorilla named Magilla out on the street. Even better, the ever-prominently displayed Magilla featured signs that said it was running for Mayor. Needless to say, the active Mayor was not happy that he was being poked fun at, and had Howard arrested. The brilliant publicity stunt to promote the store not only worked, it landed Howard and Magilla on several local TV news stations, as well as Good Morning America and PM Magazine. Found guilty of "having something illegal on the street," Howard was ordered to pay a $500 fine, serve probation, and donate Magilla, who had become a celebrity to various charities and organizations for a 6-month period.