Chula Vista Celebrates Annual Lemon Festival
Chula Vista will celebrate its history as the world’s first lemon capital of the world this Sunday August 6 with its 21st annual Lemon Festival.
The event, which will be held in the city’s Third Avenue Village district from 11 a.m. through 5 p.m., will feature two musical stages, a fun zone full of rides and activities for kids, giveaways, and over 200 vendors and exhibitors.
Contests such as the lemon peel contest and the lemon pie eating contest will be open to any attendees who want to show off their skills to the over 40,000 visitors expected to enjoy the event.
The festival will also include a craft beer garden featuring Chula Vistan brews from Novo Brazil Brewing, 3 Punk Ales, Groundswell Brewing,Chula Vista Brewing Co., and Bay Bridge Brewing.
“The Lemon Festival celebrates Chula Vista’s heritage as the original Lemon capital of the world when years ago there were groves of lemons and many packing plants here in the city,” said Kelly Lannom, event manager for the Chula Vista Third Avenue Village Association. “Although we don’t have the groves and plants we still celebrate the heritage.”
According to Lannom, the festival is also an opportunity for Chula Vista residents, as well as visitors from other parts of the county, to become familiar with the new and existing businesses in the heart of Chula Vista.
“The Third Avenue Village is being built up immensely right now. We have restaurants, breweries, and new businesses coming in. This (festival) helping bring in new people and people who have not visited in a while to explore the district area,” Lannom added.