City Hosting Annual Holiday Street Festival

Ventura will close off eight blocks of Main Street on Sunday to offer its 17th Annual Holiday Street Festival.

The event, which will run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in downtown Ventura, will feature food and goods from more than 400 artisans. It is the city’s annual attempt to help local nonprofit organizations raise funds.

Ventura special events coordinator Faye Campbell said that last year, individual groups raised as much as $3,000--a significant amount for small nonprofit groups that depend on donations and grants to survive. Last year, the 37 groups that participated raised nearly $50,000.

Some of this year’s highlights will include bands from all over California and the Ben & Jerry Traveling Show with circus performers, juggling acts and a comedy act. All money from the sales of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream will go to Laubach Literacy of Ventura County.

Festival-goers coming from the south on the Ventura Freeway can take the California Street exit and continue three blocks to free parking for the event. Those coming from the north can take the Ventura Avenue exit, turn right on Thompson Boulevard and then left on California to free parking three blocks up. For more information, call Ventura’s Special Events Office at 654-7830.