It’s time to fire up the crockpots and get out those cool chili scoopers. The Ocean Beach Street Fair and Chili Cook-Off returns to Newport Avenue for its 29th year of chili rivalry, artisan booths and live music that attracts tens of thousands of people every year from around the city and the world.
The summertime tradition gets under way Saturday, June 28 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Last year’s event drew an estimated 70,000 people who strolled down Newport Avenue in an entire day of fun and fanfare, giving local residents and businesses a chance to showcase the community’s unique arts and business culture that is Ocean Beach, said Denny Knox, Ocean Beach MainStreet Association’s executive director.
With its seaside lure, the free community event has grown into a much-anticipated and bustling iconic mainstay from its humble beginnings as a barbecue, a few tables and a couple of bands nearly 30 years ago, Knox said.
“All the hotels fill up with people anxious to come to the event six months in advance,” she said. “A lot of people who used to live in Ocean Beach come back.”
Year after year people return for the Artist’s Alley, Wonderland and children’s area, vendor booths and five stages of live music including the 92107 stage featuring local musicians from Ocean Beach.
The chili cook-off event will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Knox encourages funseekers to come early because the chili tends to go fast.
After enjoying plenty of chili samples, participants can sit back and enjoy the street fair, music and two beer gardens. The chili may go quickly, but those who miss out will have several food booths lined up the block from which to choose.
Part of this year’s Ocean Beach Street Fair will celebrate the life of a longtime Ocean Beach community activist, Rich James, who passed away earlier this year.
James founded the fair’s community-painted mural. The yearly painting became an integral part of the event, bringing community members together to paint the murals that have adorned various storefronts and walls of businesses like Rock Paper Scissors, 4976 Newport Ave.; OB Suds Car Wash, 5002 Voltaire St.; and the Surf ‘n’ Sea Custom Wetsuits, 1874 Bacon St., in previous years.
Local muralist Janis Ambrosiani helped James organize the event over the past seven years and said this year’s mural is dedicated to James’ memory.
“I want this [year’s mural] to say something to the community about Rich, how Ocean Beach wouldn’t be the community it is if he wasn’t born,” Ambrosiani said.
Ambrosiani is designing the mural, which will be painted by people from the community. Anyone can purchase a section of the mural to paint for $5.
James was a driving force in the community and helped found other Ocean Beach traditions such as the yearly Christmas Tree Festival and Parade, among other activities, Ambrosiani said.
The money raised from the Street Fair and Chili Cook-Off pays for the annual Fourth of July fireworks display off Ocean Beach Pier. The 25-minute fireworks show starts Friday, July 4, at 9 p.m.
As for the street fair, three shuttles will be running all day to bus visitors in and out of the events to make parking easier and to ease traffic congestion.
The Ocean Beach shuttle is scheduled to bus people from the corner of Bacon Street and West Point Loma Boulevard at Robb Field.
Two other shuttles will run constantly and are scheduled to shuttle people from Sea World Drive at the Pacific Highway parking lot.
The shuttles will run every half hour and every hour, respectively. The free shuttles begin around 9:30 a.m. and will run until about 9 p.m.
For more information on the Ocean Beach Street Fair and Chili Cook-Off, including show times, directions and maps, visit www.obstreetfair.com.