By Lexie Blakeman, Exec. News Editor
And Sofia Williams, News Editor
Manhattan Beach’s 49th-annual Hometown Fair was located on 15th and Valley Drive from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Oct. 2 and Oct. 3.
The fair was divided into several main sections: the Beer Garden; the Free Speech area for nonprofit organizations to disseminate information about their cause; the Civic Corner, where city-sponsored community projects are set up; the South and Center stages for music and dance performances; the games area; the arts and crafts area; an area solely for Manhattan Beach youth; and the food booths.
“[The Hometown Fair] has always been a good showing for me, and this year it’s been pretty much the same as 2019 and 2018,” said Alexandra Brownfield, designer and founder of Boxwood jewelry.
The Beer Garden hosted an array of youth-oriented organizations, including Costa’s music and drama programs, school sports from all over the South Bay, and boy and girl scout troops, all of whom hosted games and other attractions with the hopes of raising money for their programs. Additionally, free games were set up at the back of the Garden by local organizations such as Manhattan Beach Parks and Recreation.
“We’ve been pretty successful so far [in raising money],” said Hannah Khoddam, Costa sophomore and fair volunteer for Costa girls water polo. “Of course, it’s not 24/7 turnout, but we’ve gotten a lot of business.”
While the South Stage focuses mainly on local cover and tribute bands such as the Dietz Brothers, Thin Ice, and Scream Revolution, the Main Stage featured headlining performers and hosted the Battle of the Bands on Oct. 3. This year’s winning band was The Illusions, who won the competition in 2020.
“It was exciting to be able to watch the Battle of the Bands this year as in previous years I had to work the fair while the performance was going on,” said senior Jonny Nguyen. “I was very impressed with the bands, especially the last performance where the winner’s from last year performed.”
In addition to the many vendors present at the fair, the event also hosted a raffle to raise funds for the city. The raffle prizes included a beach cruiser bike and private photo shoot, for which tickets were sold in Dorsey Field. Additionally, Mira Costa’s marching band and drill teams, as well as the MBMS school chorus, performed a parade at 10 a.m. on Saturday.
“The parade is one of the many important traditions of the Hometown Fair,” said senior and Costa marching band member Armaan Shivpuri. “[The parade] is a great way to kick off the fair each year.”
The fair also highlighted local activists and entrepreneurs who attended the fair to sell or showcase their products or draw attention to their cause. The free speech area was a space where non-profit organizations could disseminate information about their cause. The civic corner, located on 15th and Valley Drive, allowed community projects and businesses to raise awareness about their work.
“It means too much to me to be at the Hometown Fair showcasing my product,” said Taylor Ryan, Costa sophomore and CEO of Unstoppable Protective Gear. “Manhattan Beach is such a tight-knit community, so I love being at the Hometown Fair because these are my people. They helped my business become what it is today.”
In the Joselyn Center, amateur art and performances were showcased. Performances from MB Poetry Circle and Mira Costa student poets, the Smoky Hollow Blue Grass Band, and Rise Academy of Dance took place on the stage, while a portion of the audience section was devoted to displaying the work of local amateur artists.
“I think the Hometown Fair is very important for Manhattan Beach, especially because we are such a small town,” said Khoddam. “It’s so nice to have something like this to showcase the community.”
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