Get those sour faces ready.
The 21st annual Lemon Festival from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 6, will celebrate Chula Vista’s historic past as the one-time lemon capital of the world during the early 1900s.
Although Chula Vista is not the lemon capital anymore, Third Avenue Village Association Executive Director Luanne Hulsizer said it is still a vital part of the city’s history.
“Even though we no longer have lemon orchards and packing houses we still honor that tradition,” she said.
The event features lemon everything. Guests will have an opportunity to participate in a lemon merengue pie-eating contest, a large lemon contest, and a lemon-peeling contest for both adults and children.
Adults will also get to enjoy lemon infused beers and the offerings of dozens of vendors.
Attendees will also see live bands of various genres at the Lemonade Bandstand in Memorial Park. Guests can also join a sour contest, and there will be kids entertainment in the fun zone. There will also be a Lemon Festival craft beer garden in Memorial Park that features craft beer from local breweries.
The festival fun zone will be located at F Street where there will be bungee rides, a rock climbing wall and other activities.
Hulsizer said this is the longest running and most money-generating event for the Third Avenue Village Association.
Hulsizer said the event has brought in a net of more than $20,000 over the last few years.
Revenue generated by the event goes into the district’s operational costs to cover other events and event staffing, Hulsizer said.
The event usually costs the city about $12,000 but this year there has been an increase to $28,000 because of a new security measure that requires the use of safety barriers along the festival’s path.
She said the Lemon Festival is kept alive every year because of the memories that are created there.
“We actually have an adult generation now that remembers coming to the Lemon Festival when they were kids or teenagers,” Hulsizer said. “They have moved back and they are part of the city and the community now so they look at it as they are revisiting their youth or their past.”
Hulsizer said she estimates 35,000 people to attend the Lemon Festival. She encourages attendees to wear yellow or lemon related clothing.
“Show your community pride by wearing lemons or wearing a lemon shirt,” she said.
