SHERMAN OAKS : Street Fair, Carnival to Open on Oct. 1

The third annual Sherman Oaks Street Fair and Carnival will be held Oct. 1 through 3 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sherman Oaks Chamber of Commerce officials has announced.

The three-day carnival will be held in the parking lot behind Tower Records, at the intersection of Ventura Boulevard and Cedros Avenue. The street fair, which takes place Oct. 3 only, will be on Ventura Boulevard between Van Nuys Boulevard and Cedros Avenue, and will result in the closure of that stretch of Ventura Boulevard from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The event, expected to raise $50,000 for local schools and community projects, will include specialty foods, live music and a special children’s area, including arts and crafts, a petting zoo, clowns, puppets and games.

“This is the ultimate in the community coming together to improve itself,” said Jeff Brain, president of the Sherman Oaks Chamber of Commerce. “We’re raising funds for our own community.”

Brain said nearly $30,000 of last year’s $50,000 profit was donated to five Sherman Oaks elementary schools. The money also helped fund chamber activities such as decorating the streets at Christmastime and painting out graffiti.

For more information on the carnival and fair, or to participate, call co-organizer Maricel Pabalan at (818) 906-1951.