San Clemente Fiesta Street Festival

San Clemente Fiesta Street Festival
By Shelley T. Hudson

Bring the whole family to Avenida Del Mar on Sunday, August 14th, for the 58th Annual Fiesta Street Festival in San Clemente. This summer tradition is an all day event, starting at 9:00 a.m. and finishing with the last band at 7:00 p.m. A full schedule of children’s activities, live entertainment, arts and crafts and cooking (and eating!) contests are planned for this year’s Fiesta, which is sure to draw a huge crowd.

Kids.
Start your day early with the little ones, and enjoy a bevy of kid-friendly activities, including jump houses, rides, games, face-painting and a petting zoo. Roaming balloon artists, jugglers and clowns will be on hand to keep them entertained all day.

Contests.
Older kids (and much, much older kids) with a competitive spirit may want to get in on the action and join the jump rope contest, diaper derby, hula hoop contest, egg hunt, tortilla toss and piñata whacking contest. If you bring your iron stomach and a pocket full of antacids, sign up for the Baskin-Robbins ice cream-eating, pie-eating, pickle-eating or Cassano’s pizza-eating contests.

Music.
The action kicks up a notch in the afternoon with live music thumping throughout downtown and the estimated 35,000 attendees out in force. Music and live entertainment are a key component of the festival with three stages hosting a full schedule of bands. Headliners this year will include perennial party band Flock of 80s, Journey tribute band Don’t Stop Believin’, Alter Ego, Neon Nation and Jann Browne. Additional bands featured at the 2011 Fiesta Street Festival include The Cholulas, Steel Toed Slipperss, ocVertigo, Orange Solutions, The Badfooters, Nail Drivers, All up in There, The Dreams, Lessons from Zeke, Sea Cure, Rod & the Pistons and Lucidiom. Live performances from the San Clemente Dance & Performing Arts Center, the Boys & Girls Dance Troupe and the Solid Hip Hop Dance Crew round out the stage entertainment.

More!
Art enthusiasts can peruse the arts and crafts show, which will feature hand-crafted merchandise from talented Southern California artists. A variety of international food vendors will keep foodies intrigued and the annual Salsa Challenge contest will be back and hotter than ever, featuring competitions for both restaurants and amateurs. A Classic Car and Motorcycle Show will draw motorheads from near and far as well. This extravaganza truly features something for everyone!

TO LEARN MORE: 949.492.1131or visit scchamber.com