A huge thank-you to all the volunteers and volunteer committee members who worked on the Ocean Beach Street Fair & Chili Cook-Off Festival. This year was our 29th annual event, and without such great participation from our volunteers, the event would never have kept going all these years.
A special and well-deserved thank-you goes to Yvonne Cruz (owner of Surf ‘n’ Sea Wetsuits) for once again chairing the Street Fair Committee. The Street Fair Committee has worked since January to make the street fair enjoyable for everyone. The turnout was wonderful, and all three square blocks were busy all day long.
When Mayor Jerry Sanders stopped by to help serve the committee chili, he was genuinely impressed when he said what a great event we were putting on. The mayor walked up Newport Avenue and talked with many of our volunteers. I think that may be a first for Ocean Beach.
The OB MainStreet Association (OBMA) also enlisted the help of the OB Town Council to run the chili cook-off portion of the festival. The cook-off was the busiest and biggest it has ever been. Again, many thanks to the OB Town Council and to President Jim Musgrove.
As you may know, funds raised at the Street Fair & Chili Cook-Off pay for our Fourth of July fireworks off the pier. The fireworks were spectacular this year and the skies were really clear for a change.
The OB MainStreet Association is happy to announce that plans are already under way for the big 3-0. The date is set for June 27, 2009, so mark your calendars now! If you have any great ideas for our big celebration, please drop by our office at 1868 Bacon Street or give us a call at (619) 224-4906. We can also be reached by email at [email protected].
Thanks again from our terrific staff, Claudia Jack and Rebecca Saffran and, of course, our 14 volunteer board of directors: Mike Akey, Julie Klein, Cordelia Mendoza, Mike Stifano, Heather Clarke, Dave Martin, Craig Gerwig, Mark Schlesinger, Yvonne Cruz, Beth Turner, Dave Smedley, Barb Iacometti, Kelly Patri and Gary Gilmore.