If you do not have plans for Sunday, March 23, how about making some new friends or renewing old acquaintances in Rolando?
The 27el Annual Rolando Street Fair takes place a week from this Sunday (10 a.m. – 6 p.m.) and should be fun for all.
Mensajero de Mission Times caught up recently with Dana Rowley, producer of the event.
MTC: What makes this event unique to the area?
Rowley: This event wouldn’t exist without the area. Twenty-seven years ago a few neighbors decided to create a gathering in the triangle median on Rolando Blvd. It grew each year and 27 years later is the all-day event you see today. The Rolando Street Fair is also one of the only street fairs in San Diego that takes place on neighborhood streets, rather than in a business district.
MTC: About how many volunteers are involved in helping to prepare/clean up the event? Are many volunteers from the Rolando area?
Rowley: There are close to 100 volunteers involved in the planning and execution of the street fair. Many come from Rolando, with help from the surrounding College Area, including some students from local high schools and SDSU.
MTC: Any new features this year from last year’s event?
Rowley: The band lineup and vendor row change each year. This year we have live local music all day with headliners The Beat Farmers. We’ll have 15 different food vendors and a wide array of arts and crafts vendors. There’s two things that will stay the same this year, and that’s the $5 play-all-day Kid Zone and the stage view beer garden pouring local craft brews.
MTC: For those who’ve never attended the event before, why would you encourage them to attend this year?
Rowley: This event is thrown by the community, for the community. It’s an event that celebrates getting together to enjoy music, food and fun with neighbors. It’s free to attend and open to everyone – we hope to see you there.
For more information on the event, visit: https://rolandocc.org/rolando-street-fair/.
(Foto de cortesía)
