The Pacific Coast Fog Fest, which supports local non-profit groups, celebrates its 25th anniversary September 25-26 in Pacifica with live music, shops, contests, arts & crafts, and more activities for all ages.
The festival, held along Palmetto Ave between Shell and Montecito Streets, begins at 10 a.m. and will go until 6 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday. Admission is free, and more than 80,000 people are expected to attend this year.
Produced by the Fog Fest Organizing Group (FFOG), the festival first started in 1986 to raise funds for local non profit groups and to celebrate the community. Local musicians and bay area artisans are given the opportunity to showcase their work in over 150 booths.
Festivities start Saturday morning with the “Discover Pacifica Parade,” where floats, classic cars, marching bands, politicians, and the Fog Fest Mermaid walk along with kids in costumes, local businesses, and sports teams.
Live music starts at 11 a.m. for both days and there will be three stages to accommodate the more than 20 bands booked to play. Salsa, blues, funk, and pop are just a few of the genres you can expect to hear, as well as an Arabesque Belly Dance performance.
Contests for best Sand Sculpture designs, photography, and marching bands will take place for attendees where the winners receive cash prizes and ribbons for their efforts. The annual Sand Sculpture contest is one of the most popular, often featuring varyingly creative sculptures of both sand castles and sea-creatures.
The “Fog Jog,” a five mile run, is a contest that will be held Sunday morning, starting at City Hall and ending at the corner of Santa Maria Avenue.
There will be plenty activities for children too. Jumpers, finger puppet shows, and a wax hand booth provide kids with an experience to look forward to and remember for years after.
Skyline students, Pacifica residents, and avid Fog Fest participants Justina Fisher, 20, and Matt Domurat, 21, feel like it’s an event that will continue to make people want to come back to it simply because of the fun atmosphere and the surplus of activities.
“I liked the Fog Fest big time as a kid. I loved the rainbow streamers and wind chimes,” said Fisher as she reflected on her experiences attending the festival growing up. As for Domurat, “I really liked the tie dye clothes.”
“I might go this year with friends because I haven’t gone the past few years, and I like the shops,” added Fisher. “If Valleymar School still does the Cajun food I’m definitely getting some,” she answered when asked what she looks forward to this year.
And there will be a wide variety of food booths too. The smell of the garlic fries, calamari, sausages, gyros, hamburgers and hotdogs will without a doubt be present this year, and have your mouth watering.
This is a fun event for the whole family and you’ll enjoy the atmosphere of people laughing, friends saying hi to one another, and community fellowship.
For more information on how to enter contests or about the festival you can visit the Pacific Coast Fog Fest website at www.pacificcoastfogfest.com.
