Clouds Give Way to Sun, Fun at Recreation Festival

Sunny skies, a wide variety of entertainment and good food brought together neighbors from throughout the Valley at the 17th annual “Salute to Recreation” festival at the Northridge Recreation Center on Saturday.

Vendors sold crafts, jewelry, clothes and incense. City officials handed out information about various departments and programs. Children rode ponies and chased farm animals through the petting zoo. And young adults played carnival games or took a spin on rides.

There was also entertainment on six stages, complete with jazz, international and Latin music.

The International Village showcased foods and wares from several countries. A separate Hawaiian Village featured island trinkets and soothing music.

“We’re sharing our cultures and getting to know each other,” said Virginia Corbin--Marinovich, a Los Angeles recreation department employee and a director of recreation at Mason Park in Chatsworth. “Besides, this is perfect weather for an event like this.”

The cold rain that had doused much of the region Wednesday and Thursday gave way to pleasant weather for the festival, with temperatures rising into the mid-70s.

The warmer temperatures made many festival-goers thirsty as lines for the lemonade stand were considerably longer than those for the food stands.

“Having a good time makes anyone thirsty, so I need to stay refreshed,” said Mike Harris of Van Nuys as he bought lemonade. “This is just a nice, relaxing way to spend my day off from work.”

Families sat on blankets at the Hawaiian Village and listened to the slow tempo of Hawaiian and Polynesian music. Many of the entertainers and vendors had traveled from the islands.

“I like that the entertainment goes all day long and that there’s lots of food,” Carolyn Sanders of Simi Valley said as she strolled past a booth selling Hawaiian shirts. “There are things here that you couldn’t find anywhere else, except Hawaii.”

The free festival was first held in 1982 as an arts and crafts show to acquaint the community with the activities and services of the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks.

This is the first of three community festivals sponsored by the city’s recreation department this summer. A Lotus Festival will be held in July at Echo Park, and an International Festival will be staged at Westchester Park in August.

“The festivals are a chance for the city to shine and showcase what we do as a department,” Corbin--Marinovich said.

More than 100,000 people are expected to visit the three-day “Salute to Recreation.” The festival, which ends today, will be open from 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. and will feature country and world music.