MISSION VIEJO : Plan for a Festival to Replace Parade Fails

Hasty plans to replace the city’s canceled St. Patrick’s Day Parade with a spring festival fell through for the Mission Viejo Activities Committee this week.

However, as the news spread through the community, several city leaders, led by Mayor Joseph D. Lowe, said they would put together an Easter festival on April 15.

Planned for the Norman P. Murray Community and Senior Center, 25486 Chrisanta Drive, the event will feature food, rides, an Easter egg hunt and will give Mission Viejo clubs and organizations a chance to participate.

Activities committee members said there wasn’t enough time or manpower to assemble a major outdoor festival in less than two months.

“The door’s never shut,” said past President W.W. (Tex) Shannon, “but right now there are so many obstacles in the way that I don’t think we can do it with the time left.”

Last week, the committee canceled the St. Patrick’s Day Parade after 25 years because of cost and lack of attendance. They had planned to replace the parade with a park festival featuring games, rides and entertainment.

The activities committee, partially funded by City Hall, has been responsible for assembling four major events in Mission Viejo--the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, the Fourth of July Street Fair, a pre-Christmas craft festival and a Christmas program.

Shannon was adamant that either the spring festival or the St. Patrick’s Day Parade would return in 1996.

“Tell people that we will be back next year,” he said. “Nobody’s giving up on” either event.