Advertising has already started, the poster contest being planned well in advance so the winning design can be sported on pre-sale T-shirts and other carnival related merchandise, said Grant. Carnival ticket sales will also commence earlier than before.Not only has the Citrus Festival seen change when it comes to the venue, but also change in its focus and attractions. Last year, emphasis was returned to Santa Paula’s top commodity with games, contests and the creation of a pavilion to highlight everything lemon and avocado, from trivia to pie or lemon eating competitions.One City Council concern, if staging the Citrus Festival at Harding Park would interfere with its use for Little League, is not an issue, said City Manager Wally Bobkiewicz, as no baseball games are scheduled for celebration weekend.This year the festival will offer even more of a country fair atmosphere, Bobkiewicz noted.“It’s going to be wonderful,” said Grant.The Santa Paula Citrus Festival is the largest celebration of citrus in the United States and offers three days of fun, contests and carnival rides.Help is needed with publicity, parade, carnival, pre-sale tickets, postercontest and citrus and avocado pavilion. Interested volunteers can call 933-4200.
Kiwanis Club asks Council to move Citrus Festival to Harding Park
April 02, 2004
Santa Paula City Council
The Kiwanis Club is looking to make the 37th Annual Santa Paula Citrus Festival even larger than last year, but it will require a move to a new location the City Council was told at the March 29 meeting.
By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesThe Kiwanis Club is looking to make the 37th Annual Santa Paula Citrus Festival even larger than last year, but it will require a move to a new location the City Council was told at the March 29 meeting.Citrus Festival Chairman Bill Grant said Kiwanians have already started planning the July 16-18 festival, but asked the council if it would be possible to move the celebration to Harding Park.Last year the Citrus Festival, held for decades at Veterans Memorial Park, was moved to Railroad Plaza and surrounding streets.The festival “has gotten real large and we want it to get even larger and larger,” and Harding Park better offers that opportunity, Grant noted.“At Harding Park we’ll be right at the freeway and people will see,” the festival and carnival, tempting Highway 126 passersby to exit to join the fun.Planning meetings are being held each Wednesday morning at City Hall reflecting the desire of the Kiwanis Club to get an early start on the 2004 festival.
