Highgrove Day Celebration Brings Classic Cars and Fun

By: Arya Abrego

Community Writer

Photo Courtesy of:

Arya Abrego

Photo Description:

Pancake Breakfast volunteer Eva Manzo and her children Gissele and William volunteer in the kitchen.

The 30th Annual Highgrove Day kicked off over the weekend at Highgrove Park, offering food, activities, and classic cars for the community’s entertainment. In the front of the community center were resource and referral vendors to help provide people with knowledge and benefits they can receive through services of the center. Among the vendors were Rite Aid and the local public library, who set up for the Health Fair outside the center. Inside, the community center held the 5th Annual Pancake Breakfast event, hosted by the Family Services Association. For $6 per adult and $4 per child, guests enjoyed the breakfast, with all proceeds going back to the center to help fund its services. The center was full of many families from all over Riverside and nearby Grand Terrace, eating and dancing along the room. All the food was served by volunteers throughout the morning. Among the volunteers were Eva Manzo and her two children, Gissele and William. She volunteers her time to the community center in efforts to give back for what the center has done for her, she shared. Manzo said, “They helped me a lot when I was in need. I was having a rough time and they helped me with food and helping me find a job." Because of this, she said, the Manzo family was more than happy to take part in any way they could. The back of the park was the site of the 30th Annual Highgrove Day, where a car show and vendors were set up for people in the community to visit. The theme of the event was American Pride, promoted by the car club, The Old Farts, who gave thanks to the armed forces. Riverside County Supervisors and Mayor Rusty Bailey attended the event to show their support. The forecast during the event seemed a little skeptical on whether it would rain. During the opening ceremony, host Barney Barnett joked around with the audience, saying, “If it rains today we are going to have to manage to get all these cars under this tent." Despite the clouds, the weather held up and Highgrove Day proceeded with no hesitation. Raffle tickets and prizes were sold and given away as well as trophies to car owners. People of the Riverside Community were able to purchase items from the vendors or take their chances purchasing a raffle ticket. Also in the event were wolf gang dogs, cheerleaders, Polynesian dancers, and a T-34 plane flying over from the closest base.