Avalon kicks off its Centennial celebration next Thursday, with a festival and street fair on Crescent Avenue. It will be the start of week long roster of events and activities that will culminate on the city’s birthday, Wednesday, June 26.
The city of Avalon and the local Chamber of Commerce planned the schedule with input from the community.
Avalon kicks off its Centennial celebration next Thursday, with a festival and street fair on Crescent Avenue. It will be the start of week long roster of events and activities that will culminate on the city’s birthday, Wednesday, June 26.
The city of Avalon and the local Chamber of Commerce planned the schedule with input from the community.
“A committee got together several months ago,” said Avalon Recreation Coordinator Jennifer Lavelle. “They decided on having a nice, local celebration for the people who live and have lived here. It’s an opportunity for generations to come together, reminisce and celebrate our town and its great history. It’s really for locals and longtime visitors that care about the Island and want to celebrate its 100th birthday.”
Festival and Street Fair
Lavelle said the kickoff Festival and Street Fair would have a similar atmosphere as the city’s regular fall and spring festivals. It will run from about 5 to 9 p.m. on Crescent Avenue with food vendors, games and displays from longtime residents.
“Some will have booths with memorabilia, old postcards and photographs of the Island through the ages,” Lavelle said.
Fish Fry
The fun will continue Friday, June 21 with a Fish Fry on Crescent Avenue.
“It’s an event that a number of locals wanted to resurrect and is one of the favorite events that was held in the past,” Lavelle said. “They used to do it every year after marlin and swordfish season.
Lavelle said US Food is donating the food for the event and the first 500 guests will get a free fish fry dinner.
“What’s really neat about that event is that it’s a true collaboration of all the major service clubs in town,” Lavelle said. “The Rotary Club will be setting up and tearing down. The Catalina Womens Forum will be selling all the food and the VFW will hold a beer garden that will also serve soda and water.
Live Music Concert
On Saturday, June 22, the Catalina Island Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau will present a live music concert from the Wrigley Stage on Crescent Aveune. The band(s) and type of music have not yet been announced. Lavelle said there was talk of presenting a History of Country Music concert.
Catalina Movie Night
On Sunday, June 23, the Centennial takes guests on a flashback to the salad days of the early surfing era. The committee is planning to screen the movie “Catalina Caper” (also known as Never Steal Anything Wet) on the beach along Crescent Avenue. The 1967 comedy musical mystery film stars Tommy Kirk. It is one of the last in the beach party film genre. It blends the beach format with a standard crime-caper comedy and was shot on and around Santa Catalina Island.
Along with the feature film, there will be historic 8-millimeter home movies shot by locals shown on the beach.
“There will be displays on the beach with photographs and home movies,” Lavelle said. “There are so many great ones with things like the old steamer pulling into Avalon. It will be fun for people to see the transformation of the town from what it looked like in the 30s to the 50s and 70s.”
Community Picnic at Joe Machado Field
The Centennial party moves to Joe Machado Field on Monday, June 24 for what Lavelle called a “family-friendly” picnic on the ball field from 5 to 10 p.m.
“We are encouraging everyone to show up with picnic baskets for an evening with family and friends,” Lavelle said. “We will also have barbecue food for sale for those who don’t bring their own.”
Old time activities planned include a Tug of War, Bean Bag Toss, Pie-Eating Contest, Dunk Tank, and Three-Legged Races.
“There will also be a one pitch softball tournament,” Lavelle said. “They can sign up at city hall. We are also looking into doing a horseshoe throwing tournament.”
Local Band Night
Lavelle said Tuesday evening, June 25, the time will be right for dancing in the street along Crescent Avenue as the celebration is turned over to local bands (to be announced).
“It will be around the Wrigley Stage and will highlight the great music scene on the Island,” Lavelle said. “There are so many local bands and musicians and will be great to get many of them together on one night.”
Community Gala Dinner
The final celebration is a Community Gala Dinner that will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. on Crescent Avenue.
“Starting at 6 p.m. we will have an awards presentation from the Wrigley Stage featuring an assembly of dignitaries and proclamations,” Lavelle said. “Then we will have a beach barbecue all along Crescent that will be cordoned off with a beer garden put on the VFW. It will lead up to fireworks over Avalon Bay. The timing will depend on sunset. We are thinking around 9 p.m. we will have the big shebang.”
There will be a multi-media program showcasing Catalina’s history that will play at the Casino building at specific times throughout the week. For more information, see the Chamber of Commerce website at www.catalinachamber.com or call Jennifer Lavelle at the city of Avalon at (310) 510-0220, ext. 230.
