"It was a wonderful weekend," said Dana Old, president of the Manhattan Beach Hometown Fair Association. "There were 200-plus arts and crafts vendors, a ton of free and paid game options for kids, we reached max capacity in both beer and wine gardens on Saturday, and all three stages were also rocking with a mix of new and returning acts."

(For reference, the beer garden max capacity is 2,000 and the Wine Garden is 440.)

The fair kicked off on Saturday morning with a parade down on Valley Drive featuring community leaders, scout troops, and the Mira Costa High School marching band and drill team. Other attractions throughout the weekend included live music and dance stages, special rides and shows in Kid Country, art and music showcases at Joslyn Center, and food and game booths that raised money for 70+ local civic and booster organizations. 

In the popular "Battle of the Bands" competition, four youth bands competed including Hiatus, The Jackrabbits, The Wong Quadruplets, and Squatchy. The winning band was the South Bay band The Jackrabbits.

The fair also honored Mike Johnson, a former longtime board member of the fair, who passed away last month at age 82.

All proceeds from the weekend go directly toward fair execution, civic engagement and scholarships, noted Old.

The Manhattan Beach Old Hometown Fair was started by a group of residents in 1972 who wanted to promote community spirit within Manhattan Beach. The fair was incorporated in 1977 as a California non-profit organization, and has remained a successful non-profit venture ever since. It is produced by an all-volunteer board that works throughout the year to organize activities, vendors, and logistics.