Fillmore Festival Gets Extra Support : Celebration: Early California Days, a tradition since 1910, is first big event since town was hit hard by the quake.

The carnival rides that Wednesday were soaked in a driving rain, this afternoon will spin, twirl and light up the sky in downtown Fillmore as one of the oldest parties in Ventura County kicks off.

The cool, wet weather was expected to clear out by this weekend in time for the Early California Days Festival, a four-day celebration that this year promises to be more cherished than most.

“This is the first big activity the city has had since the earthquake,” said Hank Carrillo, executive director of the Fillmore Chamber of Commerce, which is sponsoring the event.

“There’s an awful lot of people--in and outside the area--who are supporting Fillmore to the fullest because of what happened,” Carrillo said. “It’s very heartwarming to know that people haven’t forgotten and that they still care.

“Even though the earthquake was four months ago, they still remember.”

The Early California Days Festival, which has been celebrated in Fillmore since 1910, begins this afternoon with the opening of the carnival and midway at Santa Clara and Mountain View streets.

“This is the one time during the year when most of the nonprofit organizations and service clubs have an opportunity to raise funds for their projects,” Carrillo said. “There are no outside vendors, so all the money raised will benefit local causes.”

Admission to the carnival and midway today is free. It will open at 3 p.m. and close at 10 p.m.

But on Friday, when gates open at 11 a.m. and close at 10 p.m., the admission will be $1. Admission also will cost $1 on Saturday, but it will be free on Sunday.

Fourteen groups and clubs will staff various booths along a midway that will feature food, games and carnival rides. For many of the organizations, it is the largest single fund-raiser of the year.

“We have a bingo booth that’s pretty successful every year,” said Conrad Villegas, vice president of the Fillmore Lions Club.

“We give prizes donated by local merchants and all the money is collected and it goes toward a fund to help the blind,” Villegas said.

The highlight of the four-day festival is Saturday morning, when 15 hot-air balloons take to the skies and the parade steps off at the corner of 2nd and Central streets at 11 a.m.

“We’ve got close to 100 entries, from car clubs and high school bands to marching groups and the old-time fiddlers,” Carrillo said. “The Shriners will be there with their little cars.”

The parade route winds south on Central to Sespe Avenue and then heads west along Sespe to the railroad tracks.

“We used to go straight down Central to the park, but we had to change it because of the earthquake,” Carrillo said.

Tours on the popular Hollywood Movie Train will be offered both Saturday and Sunday, with four rides each day at a cost of $12.50 for adults and $7.50 for children. The ride will be free for children under 4 years old who are accompanied by an adult. The train will head east to Piru before returning to Fillmore.

Portions of the receipts from the train rides will benefit the Fillmore High School and Middle School marching bands, drill teams and flag teams.

Carrillo said the Early California Days Festival began before World War I as a celebration of the Old West. It coincides with the California Strawberry Festival, a relative newcomer at only 11 years old.

“This event has been going on since 1910, and it’s always been the third weekend in May,” Carrillo said.

“When the strawberry festival started, somebody at the (Fillmore) chamber contacted them about the conflict, but they wouldn’t change,” he said. “So that’s what happens.”

FYI

The Early California Days Festival, featuring carnival rides, game booths, hot-air balloon rides and food, opens at 3 p.m. today at the intersection of Santa Clara and Mountain View streets in Fillmore. Admission is free today, but the cost is $1 on Friday and Saturday. It will be free again Sunday, closing day.