Fiesta La Ballona 2012 got off to an early start on Tuesday with more than 40 interested residents and business people in attendance.
Fiesta Chair Mike Cohen polled the room on a variety of subjects including new events and a possible change to the weekend of June 22.
For many years the Fiesta was held in May, however it was changed in the early 2000’s to the last week in August. One of the primary reasons given was to avoid inclement weather.
The group considered changes including adding a 5K race, pet show, face painting, a parade, costume contest, roving performers and a cook-off among other suggestions.
A primary focus of Cohen’s and the Fiesta committee was to bring in new people with new ideas.
Parks and Recreation Director David Hernandez spoke about the suggested date change saying it might be better to “market to kids and families while they were still in school.” And that a date change was “worth considering.”
Planning Commissioner Marcus Tiggs recommended the formation of a subcommittee to explore a possible date change for 2013. He expressed concerns that there was not enough time to “ramp-up” for an earlier date and that more input was needed, especially from the Fiesta Vendor.
Elliot Heffler, chair of the Grad Night Party Committee expressed concern about starting the Fiesta on the same day as graduation and the Grad night party, held at the Veterans Auditorium. He remarked that the graduates are on “lockdown” once they enter the party and if they want to leave before the party ends at 5 am they are escorted to their vehicles.
The Culver City Grad night part has been operated for many years and has a clean record for safety on Grad night.
Mike King commented that, “my kids have grown up with that date.”
In the end the group unanimously voted to keep the 2012 Fiesta on the last weekend in August while keeping open the idea of a possible date change in 2013. As Commissioner Tiggs remarked, “We’re not married to the current date, we just need to consider all the factors.”
Cohen invited everyone back for the next meeting to be held on November 15 at Veterans Auditorium. The meeting will be open to all those interested in participating in the 2012 Fiesta.
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