The Story Behind the Central Coast Lavender Festival
By Lila Avery-Fuson
2020 brought about so many changes, and my baby—the Central Coast Lavender Festival—evolved in a way I’m truly proud of.
But to really understand the roots of this festival, you have to go back even further— to 2005, when my personal healing journey began.
🌿 Why We Chose to Farm Lavender
People often ask, “Why lavender?” The answer comes from a very personal place.
In 2005, I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. After years of treatment with heavy steroids and debilitating side effects, I turned to my deep-rooted knowledge of herbal remedies for relief. I began using pure, undiluted lavender essential oil to ease my relentless headaches, nausea, and nerve pain.
That’s when I discovered the unfortunate truth about the essential oil industry: much of what was being sold as “lavender” wasn’t real, pure, or effective. As I lay bedridden, I had the time—and the determination—to dig deeper. My quest for true lavender essential oil became a calling.
Through fate and research, I found myself learning from international distillers, herbalists, and aromatherapists. Inspired and full of purpose, I planted just under two acres of lavender in 2007, founding what would become Central Coast Lavender Farm in Paso Robles.
By our second year, my father Don bought me a copper still, and with that, the Alchemist was born. Our farm grew into a 7-acre organic lavender farm and distillery.
In 2011, I became gravely ill again—this time with seizures, paralysis, and myoclonic dystonia. I was bedridden for nearly 8 months. Eventually, UCLA doctors discovered it wasn’t MS but a rare genetic brain disorder.
Despite the uncertainty, I held onto one constant—lavender. My family stepped in to run the farm. And eventually, I walked back into the fields again.
🌱 A Festival is Born
In 2008, I founded the Central Coast Lavender Growers Association—California’s first nonprofit for lavender farmers. I proposed the idea of a Lavender Festival in Downtown Paso Robles. The city council voted unanimously.
The first year, over 7,000 people came. The city gave us the entire park the next year. The festival became our signature event, celebrating wellness, aromatherapy, and local craft.
🌿 Founding Growers & Farms
- Hacienda Almanecer Lavender – Jack Amon, Santa Ynez, CA
- Clairmont Farms – Glenn & Meyrl, Santa Ynez, CA
- Pacific Coast Lavender – Todd & Tammy Schaefer, Paso Robles, CA
- Peace Park Lavender – Ernie & Sharon Miller, Paso Robles, CA
- Erich & Joanne Russell – Rabbit Ridge Winery / Olive Diva, Paso Robles, CA
- Wine Country Lavender Farm – Jackie Woods, Paso Robles, CA
- Roundtree Farms – Ellen Fry, Atascadero, CA
- Avery Growers – Donald Avery, Paso Robles, CA
- ML Growers – Richard & Mary Fuson, Paso Robles, CA
- Central Coast Lavender Farm – Kevin & Lila Fuson, Paso Robles, CA
🤝 Associate Members
- Jason Brink – Jason's Professional Graphics, Paso Robles, CA
- Karen D. Lewis, Atascadero & Pebble Beach, CA
- Northstar Bookkeeping & Notary Services – Kathy Blackburn, Paso Robles, CA
- Downtown Paso Robles Main Street Association – Norma Moye, Paso Robles, CA
CCLGA Mission Statement
The Central Coast Lavender Growers Association promotes sustainable lavender agriculture through education, collaboration, and advocacy across California’s Central Coast.
🌿 A Legacy That Lives On
I later helped launch the United States Lavender Growers Association (USLGA) as Founding Vice President. CCLGA transitioned into a regional body. Main Street took over the festival, and it thrives to this day.
In 2020, we merged with the Olive Festival. That same year, I lost my father Don Avery—our farm manager and my greatest supporter. His legacy lives on in every bloom.
🌸 Today
I’ve stepped back from organizing, but I’m still farming and mentoring. Central Coast Lavender is more than a business—it’s a space for healing and heritage. Every spring, the fields remind me of what we’ve grown through love, struggle, and lavender.