Moreno Valley Hosts City’s Second Largest Event, Attracts Thousands to Youth Fest

For the sixth year in a row, Moreno Valley’s youth came out to enjoy a day that catered to them. The City of Moreno Valley Parks and Community Services Department held its annual Youth Fest on Saturday, Sept. 14, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Moreno Valley Community Park. The free family event featured booths set up by nearly 70 local businesses and community organizations, which included churches, music classes, medical services, colleges and more, with the goal of the event being to show Moreno Valley’s youth what local programs and businesses have to offer to them. The event also featured 12 separate performances from musicians, puppeteers, cheerleaders, dancers, and martial artists. Sarah Martinez, senior recreation program leader for the Parks and Community Services Department, said that in the last six years she’s run the event, the turnout had never been so great. Her favorite part of working at Youth Fest? “Being able to see the families come out, have fun, have a free Saturday event, have them learn about what’s going on in the community, get free drawing prizes and enjoy great music,” she said. “It’s just fun to be able to spend some time with your community.” The event recruited over 100 volunteers, including several high school students, and featured face painting, games, arts and crafts, and live performances, which ranged from business demonstrations to community dance class numbers featured onstage. Several booths featured activities and free promotional items geared specifically towards youth. The event’s main sponsor for 2013 was The Moreno Valley Morning Optimist Club, who donated $1,000 to the event this year. “The goal and mission of the Optimist club is to help youth in our local area to be successful, to let them know that people care,” said Oscar Valdepeña, member of the club and president of the Moreno Valley Chamber. “We support them in education, support them on projects, support and encourage them to do better.” Although she knows that the Moreno Valley section of the Optimist Club started about 20 years ago, Lisa S. cannot recall when it first became involved with Youth Fest since she has volunteered for many years before becoming a member. “I probably became a member about eight years ago,” she said. “I’ve been very active ever since.” She said her favorite part of Youth Fest is talking with the kids. This year’s Moreno Valley Optimist Club booth featured an animated short on Internet safety. “We’ve never done it before, and the kids seem to really be responding to it. So we’re having a really good time,” she said. Visitors stopped by in droves, much as they have in years past, noted Martinez. “I know last year we had over 2,000 people come on out,” she said. “This is the second largest event that our city hosts. Fourth of July is, of course, the largest.” According to Martinez, the event grows bigger every year. In fact, shortly before the event, other cities called her to find out what she had been planning. “We’re expecting residents from other cities to come as well,” she said. The event also featured a free raffle drawing with small prizes from participating businesses. Since the booth spaces did not cost the businesses anything, Martinez asked them to contribute free items, such as gift certificates or backpacks. The Moreno Valley Animal Services also held off-site pet adoptions. Volunteers walked shelter dogs around the park on a leash, so kids could play with them and consider them for adoption. “We’ve been doing this event for the last three years now,” said Steve Fries, Division Manager for Animal Services. “We’ve always linked up with parks and community services on a lot of the events that they do.” Fries explained that during Youth Fest, Animal Services offered a discount on the adoption fee that would apply to animals in the shelter on the same day. Ken and Amber Starbuck brought their two young children to the event. “I think it’s good that it brings the community together,” Amber said. “And in this kind of world that we’re in, it’s nice to have something to do with your kids that is safe and fun and be able to get out here with your neighbors that you might not meet otherwise.”