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There was no place else to be other than at the 47th Annual Kiwanis Club Citrus Festival held at Harding Park this past weekend. The carnival was busy and the kids had lots of fun including the young lady riding the carousel |
Kiwanis Club: 47th annual celebration
fills Harding Park with music, fun
July 25, 2014
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
As traditional, Friday was slow, Saturday picked up more business and Sunday there was no place else to be than at the 47th Annual Kiwanis Club Citrus Festival held at Harding Park.
“It was totally, totally jammed on Sunday,” perhaps a record turnout said Cathy Hicks of the Kiwanis Club.
Each year the festival, the oldest such event in the nation, draws families, friends and those out on date night to the fun that includes a full carnival with rides suitable for adults and tykes, a food court with delicious carnival delights for every appetite, vendors booths offering colorful merchandise and plenty of entertainment.
DJ Rene Sanchez spun the tunes and made the patter for the Friday and Saturday night shows that featured the Hip Street Band and Ray Carrion & the Latin All Stars; on Saturday Juano & Friends and The Groove Line Band took to the stage. Sunday saw an all day lineup of performances including Nueva Imagen, Banda Astilleros, and the Latin Grammy winning Grupo Bryndis, and Banda el Patron.
Sunday proved to be so busy that “The food booths ran out, the Beer Garden made money and the wine made money... and that was very good,” said Hicks.
The Guadagno & Sons carnival offered rides and fun games with traditional prizes for winners.
Each year the Kiwanis Club relies on the traditional festival to raise money donated back to the community, primarily to benefit youth activities and programs.
“That’s what it’s all about,” said Hicks, “giving back,” for the betterment of youngsters.
She noted that with Festival Coordinator Bill Grant being absent due to emergency surgery, “We had so much more to do! Everybody had to cover for him,” and Janet who was caring for her husband.
Kiwanis has a limited membership and Hicks said volunteers both from inside and out the club are invaluable.
“And I wore so many more hats,” due to the absence of the Grants. “Thank goodness for my husband Tim... we were there Friday from 9 a.m. to midnight, the same schedule Saturday and then Sunday - actually Monday - we didn’t leave until after 1 a.m.”
“Thank goodness too for Don and Debbie Johnson, without them I don’t know how we’d do it, it would be awful! They donate so much time to keep the festival running, to keeping our finances straight... and they’re our sounding board,” when the festival becomes overwhelming.
The festival has been undergoing change over the years and might have some tweaking for the coming year.
But one thing never changes: “Everybody has fun, they come to the Kiwanis Citrus Festival to have fun and they find it,” said Hicks.
