KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS
Lemons are sold during the Goleta Lemon Festival at Girsh Park on Saturday.
The Goleta Lemon Festival returned Saturday for the first time since 2019. Now in its 29th year, the festival began in 1949 as a small street fair celebrating the planting of lemon trees around the Stow House .
“It’s going very well. There are thousands here and we’ve been queuing all day. There are a lot of families that enjoy the entertainment,” Mary Lynn Harms-Romo, festival organizer and director of communications for the Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce, told the News-Press.
Saturday’s festivities included a pie-eating contest that took place at noon with 10 children competing in the 12-and-under category and 10 contestants in the 12-and-over category. Ms. Harms-Romo estimated there were at least 10,000 attendees Saturday.
Visitors pose in front of a Goleta Lemon Festival poster.
Above, local cover band “The Hoodlum Friends” play tunes for the crowd during the Goleta Lemon Festival at Girsh Park on Saturday. Below, a young climber celebrates his ascent to the top of the rock wall at the event.
“Even the months leading up to it have been very exciting. All of our volunteers and sponsors are very happy to have him back. We have over 200 volunteers and 55 sponsors,” said Ms. Harms-Romo when asked how heard that the festival was returning after its long absence.
“There was a lot of family fun and tons of kids today,” said Ms. Harms-Romo, and noted that children’s activities included bounce houses, bubble fun and more. “There are many children queuing for activities and games. There is also a children’s exhibit known as Safety Street that allows children to see emergency vehicles up close, including mounted sheriffs, patrol cars, fire engines and ambulances. There are lots of kids on the climbing wall and the food looks amazing, including Rusty’s pizza, potato spirals, lemonade, lemon meringue pie and more.”
The event also featured an annual car show that has been part of the festival for the past few years.
Goleta’s 15th Annual Fall Classic Car Show took place at the Lemon Festival.
Above, a Lemon Festival attendee gains air time on a bungee jump. The children then play with air bubbles during the event.
“The 15th annual car show featured over 60 vehicles. There’s a good breeze, live entertainment and tons of food and drinks,” said Ms. Harms-Romo. Auto show winners are as follows: Jerry Collins’ 1960 El Camino won Best in Show, Bill Anderson’s 1931 Ford Roadster
“Bitch’in” won Best Painting and Raylene Senke’s 1973 Mercury Capri won Best Interior.
The festivities continue today with a full lineup of entertainment and another pie-eating contest at noon.
“We are very grateful to all the volunteers. We couldn’t do it without them,” said Mrs. Harms Romo.
The festival continues today at Girsh Park from 10 am to 5 pm For a full schedule of events, visit https://lemonfestival.com/2022/09/19/lemon-festival-entertainment-lineup/.
Email: kzehnder@newspress.com
