'Patriotic Festival' Coming to Arcadia

Arcadia’s Best Foundation, a nonprofit started by Patch columnist and ArcadiasBest.com founder , will be hosting a “Patriotic Festival” to celebrate America’s history on July 2.

Even with almost all the manpower being volunteers, the event--officially called "Arcadia's Best Patriotic Festival: Celebrating America's History"--is expected to cost around $30,000, according to Hettrick.

He--along with Arcadia residents Carol Libby and Sho Tay--set out a few months ago to generate at least $20,000 in sponsor pledges before seeking approval for the event from the City Council, a mark that was just barely hit at the end of February, "thanks to about a dozen very generous and supportive individuals and local organizations," Hettrick said.

Members of the recently formed Downtown Business Association have pledged support for the event, including financial sponsors such as , , , , and .

Other founding financial sponsors are the , Waste Management, , , and .

At last Tuesday’s City Council meeting, council members voted unanimously to approve the event and pay up to $6500 of the costs, namely police and public works fees, associated with the inaugural festival. The council’s decision was a surprise to Hettrick and other festival organizers as their intention was to not have the event be a burden to the City or taxpayers.

But the council saw a chance to promote the city and create something special.

“I would love to see something like this celebration become an annual community event that draws out hundreds of our residents to watch and making hundreds more to be in the parade,” Councilman Bob Harbicht said at Tuesday’s meeting. Harbicht compared it to other events in which the city waives fees such as the upcoming Santa Anita Derby Day 5K, the Arcadia Band Review and last year’s “Arcadia’s Got Talent” event.

“This is a reasonable investment in promoting the downtown and also making something for our community which could be a nice event, a community character building event,” Harbicht said.

City Manager Don Penman said the city could possibly use redevelopment funds to pay for the event.

“Better do it tonight,” Councilmember Roger Chandler deadpanned, referring to Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposal to eliminate Community Redevelopment Agencies, which last week was a mere one vote away from passing.

According to Hettrick, the festival will begin with a parade from 10 a.m.-10:45 a.m. featuring all manner of local groups, people and businesses in all manner of vehicles, including tow trucks provided by Jan's Towing, as well as horses, Shriner mini cars and more.

From 10:45 a.m.-3 p.m. there will be street vendors, gourmet food trucks, performances by local bands, musical theater groups and dance and karate classes, as well as a car show featuring everything from a Model A, a 1950s police car and a 1960s ambulance to a modern custom Mustang.

Hettrick cited a couple of reasons for why the event would take place on July 2 and not the more traditional July 4.

"We don't want to steal any thunder from many local longstanding events on July 4, such as the Sierra Madre parade and festival, the latter of which runs on July 3 and July 4."

He also wants the community to see and experience all the shops along First Avenue, many of which will be closed July 3-4, and give local business owners a chance to promote themselves to new customers.

But Hettrick is hesistant to predict how many in the community will come out for the festival's maiden voyage.

"We do not expect this to rival similar events in other nearby cities that have been going on for decades or more than half a century. We are starting out with modest ambitions, with plans to build on whatever support we get this first year."

Councilman Bob Harbicht put it simpler at last Tuesday's meeting.

"If it doesn’t work out then next year we wouldn’t be so generous with the funds."

More information on the festival, including entry forms and sponsor/advertiser rates will be posted shortly at ArcadiasBestFoundation.org. Anyone interested can also e-mail fest organizers at info@arcadiasbestfoundation.org.