GOING APE OVER POPPY FESTIVAL.

Byline: Charles F. Bostwick Staff Writer

LANCASTER - A 6-year-old chimpanzee named Cody helped city officials announce entertainment for the April 22-23 California Poppy Festival.

The 70-pound chimp, who will star in the festival's children's area animal show, took a special liking to Mayor Frank Roberts during a news conference - reaching out to shake his hand repeatedly, handing him a television news crew's microphone and putting out his arm for a hug.

``That's called sucking up,'' said handler ``Ranger'' Rick Kelly of the television series ``Critter Gitter.''

No one yet can predict how this spring's wildflower crop will turn out, but the city's 15th annual festival will feature Celtic rock band Young Dubliners, jazz saxophonist Michael Lington and guitarist Craig Chaquico, plus arts and crafts sales, flower and farmers markets and more than two dozen food vendors.

Cody the chimp will appear on stage and interact with audience members along with pot-bellied pigs, pythons and ocelots in three shows daily. Workshops on home decorating and desert gardening will be presented by experts including Michael Payne, host of Home & Garden TV's ``Designing for the Sexes'' series.

``There's always something new,'' Roberts said of the festival.

The festival grew out of the city's co-sponsorship with the Lancaster Woman's Club of an annual Wildflower Information Center, which provided information on wildflowers and gave visitors maps to areas with the best blooms.

The festival has become known for its ``smooth jazz'' concerts, which draw visitors from all over Southern California, said Lyle Norton, parks, recreation and arts director.

The festival will run 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. April 22 and 23 at Lancaster City Park, 43011 10th St. W. Admission is $7 for adults, $3 for children ages 6 to 12 and seniors age 62 and older, and free for children under age 6. Parking is free.

Concerts are included in the admission price.

Young Dubliners perform at 1:30 p.m. April 22. After them at 3:30 p.m. is the Sauce Boss, a blues guitarist and vocalist who cooks gumbo while he performs, then serves it to his audience after the show.

Lington, a Dane whose debut album ``Stay With Me'' has been on Billboard's contemporary jazz chart for 24 weeks, will perform at 1:30 p.m. April 23. Chaquico, who was a member of Jefferson Starship as a teenager and evolved into a smooth-jazz band leader, performs at 3:30 p.m. April 23.

Charles F. Bostwick, [phone]

chuck.bostwick(at)dailynews.com

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Photo:

Lancaster Mayor Frank Roberts gets a hug from his pal, chimp Cody, as ``Ranger'' Rick Kelly of the TV series ``Critter Gitter'' helps announce what entertainment will be offered at this year's Poppy Festival, which runs April 22 and 23.

Jeff Goldwater/Staff Photographer