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Thursday, Mar 28, 2024

October Is a Month of Festivals Across Valley Area

By IVY WEISS Contributing Reporter Many of the Valley-area Chambers of Commerce are presenting outdoor family entertainment in October. All are free. The Canoga Park/West Hills Chamber of Commerce and the West Hills Neighborhood Council celebrate the community of West Hills’ 20th Anniversary at the West Hills Fall Fest on Sunday, October 7 at West Hills Center, 23233 Saticoy Ave. The Fall Fest will be open to the public from 11 am to 6 pm. Admission is free. There will be international foods to try, rides, games, raffles and food and brews from Trader Joe’s. There will also be booths featuring educational organizations and schools, health information and services, and an opportunity to meet with local businesses, crafters and a myriad of exhibitors. There will be live entertainment throughout the day, featuring among others, the “Reseda Gospelaires” featuring Al Mooney who has entertained at many Valley-wide events, up and coming Country Western star Kimberly Jean, Folk Rock singer/songwriter Kevin Corliss and bands and combos from the local high schools. The Canoga Park/West Hills Chamber utilizes the proceeds to continue its work for local businesses and the community at large including honoring exceptional Canoga Park High School students at the monthly Networking Breakfasts, supporting the Walk of Hearts & #381; teacher recognition program, and producing the largest Memorial Day Parade in the San Fernando Valley, honoring our military, veterans and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. Please contact the Chamber for further information about Fall Fest: (818) 884-4222 and/or visit www.westhillsfallfest.com. Encino: Sunday, October 14, the Encino Chamber of Commerce will be holding the 20th Taste of Encino, along Ventura between Balboa and Amestoy. This free to the public event will be from 10 am to 5 pm. There will be a Food Court, Health Expo, Arts and Crafts on display and for sale, a Home Show, Kids Play Zone and a Beer and Wine Pavilion with free microbrew tastings. Three stages will be featuring family entertainment. Proceeds go to support the community activities of the Chamber, including community beautification, graffiti elimination, and support of educational and local non-profit groups. To learn more about the event, contact the Chamber at (818) 789-4711 and/or visit the website, www.tasteofencino.com. Winnetka: The Winnetka Chamber of Commerce presents the 11th Annual Oktoberfest at Winnetka Park, on Friday through Sunday, October 19, 20 & 21. There will be Carnival Rides, Games, Food & Drink, Arts & Crafts, Live Bands and a Beer Garden. Sponsors include Councilmen Greig Smith and Dennis Zine, Time Warner Cable, Anheuser-Busch, Gelb Enterprises, Canoga Park Bowl, CRA/LA, Optimist International, Woodland Printing, West Valley Cycle Sales, Minuteman Press of Northridge, and Tallent & Associates, Realtors. Half the net proceeds are given to the Oktoberfest host, Winnetka Park, for their after school programs. The other half goes to the Winnetka Community Foundation which the chamber founded three years ago. These funds have enabled under-privileged 5th graders to go to Cali-Camp, an upscale athletic camp. $1,000 was donated to the Salvation Army the day after Katrina hit. Last year the Winnetka Chamber provided sailors and marines deploying from the Valley with phone cards and this year it was able to finance Summer Camp for two Boy Scouts whose family could not afford to send them. Contact Chamber President Pauline Tallent at (818) 998-3833 for more information. Sherman Oaks: On Sunday, October 21 the 17th Annual Sherman Oaks Street Fair will be hosted by the Sherman Oaks Chamber of Commerce. There will be more than 200 vendors on Ventura Blvd. between Van Nuys and Kester, meeting and doing business with 80,000 visitors. The Sherman Oaks Chamber is able to work all year round to provide services and programs as a result of this event. The Chamber welcomes inquiries at (818) 906-1951. Calabasas: On Saturday, October 20 and Sunday, October 21, the Calabasas Chamber of Commerce is partnering with the City of Calabasas and the Calabasas Arts Council to pay homage to their namesake at the 2007 Calabasas Pumpkin Festival. Due to the success of the Pumpkin Festival, which has been around for three decades, the Festival will be held over an entire weekend. Between the hours of 10 am and 5 pm you can enjoy the many attractions and activities at Juan Bautista De Anza Park, 3701 Lost Hills Road in Calabasas. It will be a weekend of family fun and community celebration with entertaining Carnival Games, Zoom go karts, an arts & crafts marketplace, car show (Sunday only), fun contests, live entertainment, fabulous food, a beer garden and, keeping with the heritage of Calabasas plenty of pumpkins. You will be able to have your pumpkin carved by a master artist, pumpkin painting, pumpkin pie eating, and even competitive pumpkin seed spitting. The Calabasas Chamber funds many of its outreach programs from the proceeds of the festival, among them the Education Committee which supports the link between education and the business community and awards graduating students from local middle and high schools for scholastic honors, positive attitudes, academic efforts and their contributions to the community. For more information, visit the Pumpkin Festival’s website at www.calabasaspumpkinfestival.com or contact the Chamber at (818) 222-5680.

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