Fiesta Days back in full force…and then some

Fiesta Day has historically been one of the biggest events of the year in Canyon Lake. For more than 40 years, thousands have crammed into Canyon Lake on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend to celebrate not just the holiday, but the unofficial birth of summer.

COVID-19 restrictions shut everything down and Fiesta Day went primarily dark. The Canyon Lake POA got creative last year with restrictions still in place to a certain extent, and took everything outdoors and spread events out throughout the parks in the community. Fiesta Hopper was born.

Not only is the traditional Fiesta Day back, it has been combined with the successful Fiesta Hopper of last year and Fiesta Days has been born. Events will begin on Friday, May 27, blow up on Saturday with events in five different locations and then wrap up on Sunday. The traditional Memorial Day on Monday will be the regular family and friend holiday activities.

Mini Paddle Boats will fill the Canyon Lake Lodge pool again as part of the Fiesta Hopper schedule. The event will take place Sunday, May 29. A Movie Night will take place at the pool on Friday, May 27. Friday Flyer File Photo.

Fiesta Days carries a theme this year. This year’s theme is “Fiesta Hopper Celebrates Lake Life,” a tribute to all of the lake activities available in Canyon Lake, like camping, water sports, swimming, fishing, skiing and so much more.

The highlight of the three days of events will be the parade. The parade will take place on Saturday, May 28 at 9:00 a.m. The deadline to participate in the parade has been extended until Monday. Applications can be found on the Canyon Lake POA Fiesta Days website, CanyonLakeFiestaDay.org.

Debby Gagnon, a fixture in the Canyon Lake community as both a business owner and civic volunteer, has been named the Grand Marshall of the Fiesta Days Parade. Debby is the owner of Pack, Wrap and Post in the Canyon Lake Town Center and has been an active member of several service clubs and organizations in Canyon Lake.

Friday Flyer File Photo

Booths are still available as well at the various locations. The event is also looking for various sponsors. All information about obtaining a booth or becoming a sponsor is available on the website.

The parade will begin at Mayflower Drive and Canyon Lake Drive North at approximately 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 28. The parade will make its way down Canyon Lake Drive North and turn right onto Vacation Drive. From Vacation Drive, the parade will make its way to its new endpoint, Lighthouse Drive.

Photo provided by Canyon Lake POA

Parade participants can either park or pull over to unload passengers on Lighthouse Drive or continue down Lighthouse Drive to Canyon Club Drive and on to Canyon Lake Drive North to exit the parade/event. Please note, that Canyon Club Drive and Lighthouse Drive will not be designated as one way this year, so parade participants unloading passengers are being asked to pull-off to the sides and not block traffic.

There will be road closures during the parade. At 8:30 a.m. Canyon Lake Drive North (Evans Park to Vacation Drive Stop sign) and Vacation Drive (from the Stop sign to Lighthouse Drive) will close until the end of the parade. Canyon Club Drive and Lighthouse Drive will be the exit route of the parade participants.

There will be no parking from 6:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 28 on Canyon Lake Drive North (from Steelhead Drive to Vacation Drive), and Vacation Drive to Lighthouse Drive.

Friday Flyer File Photo

The rough schedule for the three-day Fiesta Hopper is Friday, a movie night at the Lodge Pool, Saturday, games, vendors, food, concerts, shows, rides, petting zoo, etc. at five locations: The Canyon Lake Lodge, Sierra Park, Holiday Harbor, Indian Beach and Eastport Park; and Sunday, the Lodge Pool Mini Paddle Boats, Holiday Harbor concert, food, vendors and jump houses and Movie Night at Indian Beach.

The Friday Flyer will have detailed information of all events in the June 27 edition.