Sunday Street Fair Attracts Large Fun-Filled Crowd

When I arrived at the Sherman Oaks Street Fair the crowd was just filtering in, the booths were getting set up and things were fairly quiet.

By 2 p.m., people were shoulder-to-shoulder on Ventura Boulevard, which had been closed for the annual event. There was music, food and applause at a stage where a group of young people were performing. Some people were actually dancing in the street (see photo).

This was the 21st annual Street Fair in Sherman Oaks and by all accounts it was a huge success.

How large was the crowd?

"We estimate more than 75,000 people came today," said Dr. Robert Cohen, president of the Sherman Oaks Chamber of Commerce, which sponsors the event.

There were lots of new booths that included a jewelry designer, a beer garden, and, oh yes, Patch was there meeting many of the people who read our daily news and events site.

The street fair ran from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. along Ventura Boulevard between Van Nuys Boulevard and Kester Avenue. It included more than 130 vendors, two food courts, two gourmet food trucks and two entertainment stages, one for local school performers and one for bands.

For Angela Marsden, offering the beer garden allowed her to introduce herself as the new co-owner of Pineapple Hill Saloon & Grill (pineapplehillsaloon.com). The Sherman Oaks restaurant and bar has been tucked away in a mall at 4454 Van Nuys Blvd. since 1978.

The crowd included people from as far away as Ventura County. There were political figures, off-duty police officers who brought their children, but mostly residents of Sherman Oaks who come out every year to enjoy the sunshine, the good food, and the village atmosphere that Sherman Oaks has become famous for.

"This year's crowd was much bigger than last year," said Dr. Cohen. "That's because it was a great day to be outdoors, nice weather. Last year, the weather did not cooperate."