As seasonal changes breathe life into an emerging fall ” crisp with signs of the harvest ” residents seem to be basking in the coming equinox with celebrations etched in tradition.
Point Loma Nazarene University is no exception. The university will host its fourth annual Fall Festival on Saturday, Oct. 13, starting with an early morning bird-walk tour through some of Point Loma’s prime perches at 8 a.m.
“The Fall Festival is a chance to invite the community campus,” said Joe Watkins, vice president for external affairs. “So we’re offering a wide variety of activities for people of all ages.”
PLNU officials are inviting the San Diego community for a full day of activities and presentations, complete with an ice cream social with PLNU President Bob Brower at 2 p.m. in the Greek Amphitheatre.
During Fall Festival, Brower is expected to recognize several community members for their involvement, including community leaders Lee Lipsey and Pat Baker for their continued leadership role in the Point Loma Concert Series, Watkins said.
For seven years now, the concert series have brought an eclectic mix of local and big-name bands every Friday during the summer, he said.
Brower will also present a community service award to Point Loma Association Chair Bill Klees in recognition of the Point Loma Association’s continued involvement in the beautification of the Peninsula in a 40-year-long partnership with the community, according to a statement released by Brower’s office.
“It’s an honor because it recognizes the service to the community that the Point Loma Association is there for. It’s part of our mission, so we’re very appreciative of that,” Klees said.
The PLA works to improve the scenery around Point Loma throough tree planting planting, landscape maintenance and utility-box painting, Klees said. The PLA also collaborates with various community organizations on the Peninsula, including the Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, on projects such as the entryway to Point Loma and the Nimitz Boulevard median improvement project, he said.
Besides festivities and award ceremonies, plenty of booths and activities will be set up along the meandering walkways of the campus. Activities include wall-climbing, inflatable bounce houses, face painting, arts and crafts, and a host of vendor and community groups that will be represented.
Free samples of restaurant-quality food will be provided by Taste of Bartell Hotels and other local restaurants.
The festival will also feature plein aire demonstrations. French for “open air,” plein aire is a French art form of painting outdoors, Watkins said.
A health and fitness area featuring massage demonstrations, martial arts and Pilates demonstrations will provide healthy doses of information to improve the quality of life for those who attend, according to the PLNU website.
At 1 p.m. Dwayne Little will make a presentation on the history of Point Loma and Madame Katherine Tingley. Tingley was a leader of the theosophical movement in the U.S. She lived in what is now the communications building at PLNU, according to university officials. Tours of the campus will be available. For more information, visit www.pointloma.edu/fallfestival.