Westlake Village Rotary Club festival brings streets to life

Touting psychedelic T-shirtsarabesque jewelry and decorative candles, the merchants arrived from neighboring communities and distant domains to set up shop and peddle their wares on the southern portion of Lakeview Canyon Road in Westlake Village.

During the 12th annual Rotary Club of Westlake Village StreeFestival and 5k Run, 86 vendorfrom around the state rented boothto sell their crafts to city residents

An estimated 5,000 people attended the Sun., April 2 event which was jointly hosted by the Rotary Club and the city of Westlake Village and served as a fundraiser for community needs.

Money raised at the event will be given to various community service organizations such as Interface, Manna, Meal-on-Wheels, YMCA, Community Conscience, Senior Concerns, Zonta, Lutheran Social Services, Big Brothers and Big Sisters.

The Rotary Club raises the funds for local philanthropies through sponsorships and booth rental fees. The $140 to $175 charged each retailer will be redistributed to community charities during the club's "Day of Giving" event.

Sponsors of the event included Guitar Center, Blue Cross and Warner Pacific.

Participants of the 5k run were charged an entrance fee which will be used to buy new band instruments for local schools through the Rotary Club's "Strike up the Band" fundraiser.

In addition to artisans' wares, the street festival featured entertainment that included karate demonstrations, dance acts and a performance by a 30-piece brass ensemble.

Raffles, giveaways and cold beer buttressed the interest of revelers. Attendees could satiate their hunger at a food court that served kettle corn, barbecue, Mexican dishes, funnel cakes and Mediterranean food. Coffee junkies were able to procure a quick fix at a mobile Coco Bean cart.

A number of stations were staffed by county and city employees in order inform residents about various community services.

The Sheriff's Teen Traffic Offender Program hosted a drunk driving booth which displayed a mangled car, a graphic example of the dangers associated with driving while intoxicated.

The Disaster Action Response Team and Westlake Village Disaster Preparation Team used their booths to recruit potential members from the crowd.

"It's an outstanding event that brings the community together to raise money and help those less fortunate while offering a great time," said Ed Pope, the club's president.