A woman walks past a Porter Ranch sign at the entrance to Southern California Gas Co.’s Aliso Canyon storage field. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson
A family festival featuring 1970s and ’80s cover bands, a rock climbing wall and other activities is being held in Porter Ranch Saturday to help lift the spirits of residents who underwent months of uncertainty due to the gas leak at the nearby Aliso Canyon gas storage facility.
Councilman Mitch Englander said he organized the festival as a “welcome home” party for the residents who stayed behind and the tens of thousands of who opted to relocate amid the leak and the clean-up that followed.
Many residents have been living in hotels, he said, and with the closure of two schools, students have had to commute to campuses further away. Local business people have also experienced a slowdown in activity, he said.
“This community has been through a lot,” Englander told City News Service. The festival “is sort of a welcome for those who have relocated or have to put up with it and stay in their homes.”
He said he hopes the festival will remind residents “this is a great community to live and work in.”
Englander said he was closely involved in planning the event, and he will lend his drumming skills to one of the cover bands performing at the festival. He declined to say which song, saying he wants it to be a surprise.
The festival will begin at 4 p.m. at Holleigh Bernson Memorial Park, 20500 Sesnon Blvd.
Attractions and activities include a petting zoo, arts and crafts area, obstacle course and giant slides, as well as rock climbing, bunjee jumping and ziplining stations.
Refreshments will also be available at a beer tent. The scheduled food trucks include the Grilled Cheese Food Truck, L.A. Cake, La Panini Grill, The Surfer Taco, Slamin’ Sliders, Potato Tornado and Kona Ice.
Musical performances will be given by Skin Deep, which will be covering ’70s hits, and Fast Times, which will be playing rock music from the ’80s. The children’s stage will include a reptile animal show and other performances.
Parking is available along Sesnon Boulevard. Shuttles will also be leaving continuously from a parking lot at Porter Ranch Drive and Rinaldi Street.
—City News Service
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