Celebrate Fiesta Day tomorrow!

Canyon Lake’s biggest party of the year kicks off tomorrow morning with Fiesta Day. With more than 5,000 people in attendance, Fiesta Day is considered the granddaddy of all Canyon Lake events.

The theme of the 46th annual Fiesta Day is “Fiesta Day Celebrates Hawaii” paying special homage to remembering Pearl Harbor. This year’s festivities have been planned with this theme in mind. New this year is a flyover by the Warbirds West during the parade.

Fiesta Day marks the start of summer in Canyon Lake. It’s a day filled with fun activities that begin with the traditional parade in the morning followed by activities and entertainment on the lodge grounds throughout the day.

The parade begins at 9 a.m. with families and friends lining the parade route as dignitaries, clubs, organizations and businesses parade past on everything from convertibles and bicycles to golf carts and towed boats and trailers.

The winners of the best Fiesta Day themed parade float will be awarded a $250 cash prize.

Parade participants throwing candy to spectators is a Fiesta Day tradition, so kids will want to bring a bag for collecting the candy as it’s thrown from passing vehicles. Parents are asked to keep their children at a safe distance and not allow them to dart out into the street to pick up candy.

Parade Route

Parade participants will be assigned to one of four staging areas: Spray Drive, Smugglers Point Drive, Sloop Drive or Clearwater Drive. Line up starts at 7 a.m.

The parade will begin at 9 a.m. at Mayflower Drive and Canyon Lake Drive North. From there, the parade will make its way down Canyon Lake Drive North, turn right onto Vacation Drive and proceed to its end point at Lighthouse Drive.

Parade announcements will take place at the corner of Vacation Drive and Canyon Lake Drive North, as this is the best viewing point of the parade.

After the Parade

After the parade, the festivities continue on the grounds of the lodge where there will be a host of activities, entertainment and food. The schedule is as follows:

Main Stage

  • Opening Ceremonies: 10 to 10:45 a.m.

Outside Stage

  • Temescal Canyon Jazz Band: 10:45 to 11 a.m.
  • Polynesian Dancers: 11 to 11:40 a.m
  • Men’s Hula Dance Contest: 11:30 a.m.
  • Republic of Music: 11:40 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Beach Area

  • Zipline: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. ($12 or 2 for $20)
  • Rock Wall: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. ($5)
  • One Guy One Chick Band: 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 2 to 3 p.m.
  • Bird Show: 12 to 1 p.m.
  • Ski Show: 1 to 2 p.m.

Kid Zone

The Kids Zone will be stationed near the main entrance and will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tickets are $3 each or $12 for a wristband. Carnival games are 41 each or six for $5. Raffles will be held at the Kids Zone at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m.

Holiday Bay Room

In remembrance of Pearl Harbor, there will be a video and display in the Holiday Bay Room.

General Activities

  • Stilt Walker: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. (walking around)
  • Face Painting: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. ($3)
  • Balloon Artist: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (free)
  • Caricature Artist: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. ($5 per person)
  • Moana: 12 to 2 p.m. (walking around)

Food and Drinks

Food concession stands will be set up around the circle at the lodge, offering pizza, hot dogs, pulled pork, brats, tacos and hamburgers, to name a few. There will also be a variety of drinks and desserts available for purchase.

The lodge will have two outside pop-up bars offering adult beverages. The bar inside the lodge will be open but the restaurant will be closed until 5 p.m. In the evening the lodge will have live entertainment, featuring the Bad Dancers.

Road Closures

Residents will want to plan ahead for street closures on the morning of the parade, especially residents who are expecting guests. Police and Community Patrol will stop all traffic after the streets close and there will be no exceptions.

The following roads will close at 8:30 a.m. until the parade ends at approximately 10:30 a.m.:

  • Canyon Lake Drive North (Evans Park to Canyon Club Drive)
  • Canyon Club Drive
  • Lighthouse Drive
  • Vacation Drive (east of Lighthouse Drive intersection)
  • Canyon Lake Drive at Village Way Drive (including the main causeway)

There will be no exceptions after the streets close.

Parking Restrictions

On May 25, there will be no parking from 6 to 10:30 a.m. on Canyon Lake Drive North (from Evans Park to Vacation Drive and Lighthouse Drive intersection), Lighthouse Drive, Vacation Drive and on Canyon Club Drive. There also will be no parking on the parade staging streets: Mayflower Drive, Smugglers Point Drive, Sloop Drive, and Clear Water Drive.

Lodge Parking

On  May 24, there will be no parking in the first two rows of the lodge parking lot after 6 a.m. After 12 a.m. there will be no parking for the remainder of the lodge parking lot. Cars in the parking lot at this time will be cited and/or towed. The parking lot must be cleared in order for the event to be set up.

Handicapped Parking

Handicapped parking will be available at Holiday Harbor Park. There will be an ADA accessible shuttle bus that will transport riders to the entrance of the event at the Kids Zone, upon request. For pick-up at the same area, a Community Patrol officer can assist in requesting the shuttle pick-up.

All vehicle parking spots will be designated for handicap parking. Boat/trailer parking will still be available.

Shuttles

Complimentary golf cart shuttle service will be available for pick-up and drop-off from East Port Park, Sierra Park, Gault Field, Holiday Harbor Park and Blue Bird Hall. Shuttles will run continuously from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The last shuttle will leave at 4:15 p.m.

The shuttles will transport people to the entrance of the event at the Kids Zone. Shuttles will run from 6 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. in loops from the corner of Lighthouse Drive and Vacation Drive, down Vacation Drive to Canyon Lake Drive South onward to Canyon Club Drive down the entrance of the event.

Fiesta Day Committee

Fiesta Day would not be possible without the dedicated members of the Fiesta Day Committee who start planning for this community-wide event months in advance.

The committee is made of community volunteers and POA staff. The community volunteers are Joe Grasso, chair; LaRue McNamara, secretary; Roanne Grasso, treasurer; Mike Shroyer, entertainment coordinator; Lyne Hall, parade coordinator; Jude Donahue, sponsorship and advertising coordinator; Bobbi Ehlers, booth coordinator; and Harry Larson, traffic security coordinator.

The POA staff liaisons are Carrie Pratt, Samantha Bell, Erica Toney and Val Grillo.For more information about Fiesta Day, contact the POA at 951-244-6841.




Weather

CANYON LAKE WEATHER

Facebook