Bonitafest turns 44 this September, but the talented singers, dancers and musicians of the South County will make the region’s oldest community celebration young again.
On Sept. 17 award-winning show choirs, dance troupes and stage bands from the Sweetwater Union High School District will gather at Bonita Vista High School for the South County’s largest-ever outdoor performing arts festival. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. the Bonitafest Performing Arts Stage will feature the 2016-17 debuts of many of Southern California’s most acclaimed student performers, all under the shaded stage in the main BVHS parking lot.
More than 100 vendors will surround the stage with food, beverages, art and other seasonal treasures as part of the traditional Bonitafest Street Fair. Entry and parking are free.
Bonitafest actually kicks off a day earlier, Sept. 16, with the Twilight Trail Parade on the riding/hiking trail circling the Chula Vista Municipal Golf Course. Equestrians, bicyclists, VIPs in golf carts and walkers will launch at 6 p.m. from the Sunnyside Saddle Club Equestrian Arena on the Sweetwater Road side of Rohr Park. Everyone is welcome to join in free of charge. Participants are encouraged to bring glow sticks, flashlights or other twinkling devices to parade in the twilight.
A new addition to this year’s Twilight Parade is the End of the Trail celebration in the parking lot of the Bonita-Sunnyside Public Library. Headlining the event is an all-star concert of BVHS Music Machine and Sound Unlimited alumni. Snacks will be provided by the Bonita Museum and Cultural Center, and the library.
Capping the weeklong celebration is the 39th Annual Bonitafest Melodrama, San Diego County’s longest-running theater tradition. This year’s production is the world premier musical-comedy “Patsy Lee’s Magical Baseball Cakes,” the true story of golf legend Billy Casper and a gifted cake decorator teaming up to help build a new Sweetwater Valley Little League park. The Melodrama runs Sept. 21-24 at the Sweetwater Community Church Theater. Curtain time is 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available by calling (619) 850-7126.
Bonitafest 2016 honors Bonita Vista’s national champion show choirs Music Machine and Sound Unlimited with its logo and slogan “Sound and Machine in 2016.” Bonitafest General Chairman Dr. Max Branscomb said the intent is to honor all performing artists from the Sweetwater Union High School District.
“Music and theater are among the South Bay’s greatest exports for the last 40 years,” he said. “South Bay schools have produced movie stars, Broadway actors and dancers, rock stars and classical musicians, writers, directors, choreographers and an array of other talented performing artists. Many of our schools have powerhouse performing arts groups, some of which are nationally-ranked. So are very excited to have so many of them together in one place on one day at Bonitafest.”
