Goleta Lemon Festival Gives The Community a Tight Squeeze
GOLETA, Calif. (KEYT) – Over the weekend, the City of Goleta hosted its annual Lemon Festival that never fails to bring the crowd to Girsh Park.
This year marked the 33rd year for the festival and it celebrated two days of free, family-friendly citrus-themed fun. Lemon-themed earrings, candles, and t-shirts were available to purchase by local vendors, and local organizations propped up their booths in an effort to reach out to community members.
Kiddos spent their time at the festival kid zone, where activities were endless – bounce houses, climbing walls, tractor rides, mini golf, carnival games, and more!
The festival is put on each year by the Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce (SBSCCC), and leaders say it has become a Goleta staple event, and only seems to get bigger and bigger each year with the help of community excitement.
"The Goleta Lemon Festival is really the heart and soul of Goleta," SBSCCC CEO Kristen Miller.
"People know about the legacy and the history here and come from all over to enjoy it. It feels very gratifying."
While folks helped themselves to food, drinks, games, and activities all weekend long, everything goes on pause once its time for the beloved lemon pie eating contests...
Divided into two age groups, contestants line up to eat as much pie as they can in a minute. The winner is decided by local officials and community members acting as judges.
Participants say joining in on the weekend fun is as easy as pie.
When asks what is was like eating that much in such little time, Elder Blake said: "It was a lot of pie, but it was so good. It tasted great, a lot of meringue!"
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