Santa Clarita / Antelope Valley : Palmdale Fall Festival Starts Today

The two-day Palmdale Fall Festival, the city’s largest annual community event, kicks off today with food booths, children’s games, craft displays and musical entertainment.

More than 35,000 people are expected to attend the festivities, which will feature concerts by two classic rock groups--The Turtles and America.

The festival will be held at McAdam Park, 38115 30th St. East. Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. today and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. General admission is $2, but children age 12 and younger and senior citizens 62 and older will be admitted free. Parking is also free.

The city-sponsored event will included 10 entertainment stages, 220 arts and crafts vendors, 20 fine artists and 30 food vendors. A farmers’ market, offering locally grown “last-chance” peaches, will be set up on the grounds along with a petting zoo and a children’s games area.

Organizers were putting up 35,000 square feet of tents to shade visitors from the high-desert sun.

Deputies from the Antelope Valley Sheriff’s Station will display their mobile command post at the festival and recruit participants for the local Volunteers Organized to Improve the Community Environment program. VOICE participants patrol Palmdale streets and report suspicious activity to deputies.

The headline bands will close out each day’s activities. The Turtles will perform at 5 p.m. today. America takes the stage at 4 p.m. Sunday.