Around this time last year we wrote about the inaugural Pleasure Point Street Fair, noting that this was the first time Pleasure Point had staked its claim as its own cultural landmark worthy of a fair, like Pacific Avenue and the Capitola Village.
On Saturday, June 21st, the Fair is back — and hoping to build on the success of their first run.
“The biggest highlight [of last year’s Fair] was just getting it to happen!” says Derek Rupp, head of the Pleasure Point Business Association (which hosts the Fair), and owner of the divine Pleasure Pizza. “It was a lot of work and we really didn’t know what the response from the community would be. The first fair was a huge success and it was so incredible and rewarding to see it so well-attended.”
That success probably had a lot to do with the sheer amount of stuff to do — there was live music, a skate contest, local artist Jimbo Phillips, and over 50 vendor booths, including ice cream and a beer garden. For Derek, the success first Fair also came out of the Pleasure Point’s unique culture.
“There is a strong sense of identity in Pleasure Point and the fair reflects that,” says Rupp. “We are different than downtown or the [Capitola] Village and our fair is not like something you would see in either of those places. We’ve got rock-n-roll, surfing and skateboarding. Plus most of our vendors are members of the business association, [so] it’s very representative of who we are.”
This year, the Fair is spreading the love with another stage for live music as well as space for even more vendors. The Pleasure Point Business Association also plans to donate a portion of the proceeds from this year’s Street Fair to the Santa Cruz Cancer Benefit Group, a local non-profit that raises funds for research into cures and treatment for cancer patients.
The way Rupp, a Pleasure Point native, talks about his neighborhood, it’s clear to see that the Point has been overlooked in the Santa Cruz area for far too long. Whether you’ve never visited Pleasure Point, or have been a proud community member for years, the Fair is a great chance to take in all that Pleasure Point has to offer.
“What really sets us apart from other fairs is that it is really a community event,” says Rupp. “The purpose of the street fair is to get the residential and business community together to celebrate who we are and also show the rest of the County how awesome Pleasure Point is.
2nd Annual Pleasure Point Street Fair
Portola Drive between 38th Ave & 41st Ave
Saturday, June 21
11:00 am – 5:00 pm
I was wondering what sort of vendors you have having for the Festival ?