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The 48th Annual Kiwanis Club Citrus Festival drew carnival lovers to a four-day celebration of all things fun at Harding Park Thursday through Sunday. Carnival rides for all ages were available as can be seen above of this young girl having a lot of fun riding Sneezy
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48th Annual Kiwanis Citrus Festival
draws carnival lovers to Harding Park
July 29, 2015
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
The 48th Annual Kiwanis Club Citrus Festival drew carnival lovers to a four-day celebration of all things fun at Harding Park Thursday through Sunday.
Deanna and Rusty Solis were at Thursday’s opening night, the first time the Kiwanis Club had extended the run of the festival and coupled it with $1 deals including all rides.
“It’s a great deal,” said Deanna, who was letting her 8-year-old nephew Cooper Higgins, visiting from Iowa, ride to his heart’s content.
Rusty was kept busy posting photos of the carnival on Facebook urging others to come to Harding Park and enjoy the fun…and the $1 Thursday only ride prices.
“This is way better than the wristbands,” he noted of the six-hour Saturday offer of unlimited rides for $20 with a special wristband.
“Let’s say I bring five kids…that would be $100 for the wristbands,” said Rusty.
But either way, $1 Day, Wristband Saturday or even regular price, Rusty said, “We come every year…we have to support it, it’s for the kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews whatever, it’s for the kids.”
And Rusty added, the festival also benefits kids through Kiwanis youth programs and activities funded from proceeds raised at the event.
Longtime Citrus Festival Coordinator and Kiwanis Club Treasurer Bill Grant said this year’s scaled back event still drew a crowd.
“Thursday with dollar day we did fine especially for something brand new. Friday and Saturday were very good,” and he said Sunday, “We’re starting to pick up right now, it’s 6. Everyone seems to be having fun…and when it get dark and the lights come on, the Ferris Wheel is all lit up, then the people come out.”
This year the Kiwanis Club decided to pull back and regroup, trimming away some aspects of the festival such as the concerts, beer garden and vendors.
Grant said, “We did have some people asking for the music and the beer, but that’s the way it is — life goes on,” although presale ticket sales were weak.
“Our outlets said when some people heard it was going to be a carnival only they were disappointed,” noting they would let the kids hit the rides while the adults would enjoy the beer garden and some music.
“But last night (Saturday) we had people waiting inline to come in…the weather has been perfect and,” Grant noted, “if we had it a week ago no one would have been here as it poured rain!”
Nevertheless Grant said the club is planning to return to the full festival next year with food and merchandise vendors, a beer garden and “Some popular local bands, we have some really good ones,” that draw a crowd but would not deplete the Kiwanis’ bank account.
The club primarily makes it festival revenue from the percentage split with the carnival, which Grant said he enjoys watching afar.
“Oh, I don’t get on rides anymore…I was looking at that Kamikaze ride going up and down, the Ferris Wheels so high up and,” he added, “I figured I don’t need it!”
