ANTIOCH – For the primary time in many years, the Walnut Competition will probably be held in Antioch as a substitute of Walnut Creek, a choice organizers stated was a necessity on account of transforming work at its longtime residence.
Heather Farm Park in Walnut Creek has hosted the Walnut Competition since 1976. Nevertheless, as town prepares for a brand new aquatic and group heart on the park, the competition was pressured to discover a new location. Building is anticipated to take two years.
For Tammy Lagomarsino, the competition’s occasion director, discovering another website was an uphill battle. Organizers needed it to stay as shut as doable to Walnut Creek.
Lagomarsino stated she checked out areas in Harmony, Nice Hill, Lafayette, and Martinez, however confronted challenges in securing a website that met the standards for the occasion that initially started in Walnut Creek.
She stated the choice to maneuver the competition to Antioch has drawn some criticism from the group, who really feel it’s too removed from Walnut Creek.
In line with Lagomarsino, some felt it ought to have been held at Civic Park, the place the competition was beforehand held. However Lagomarsino stated they might not have been capable of accommodate the over 15 carnival rides at that location.
“There would be no point in just having the festival with vendors and food. Everybody knows it for the carnival, the bands, and the vendors,” she stated. “Civic Park (would take) a big part of that away.”
Walnut Creek Metropolis Supervisor Dan Buckshi stated due to the variety of bushes within the park, viable areas for carnival rides have been restricted.
For a few years, the Walnut Competition has been “positive” for town, Buckshi stated.
Antioch Mayor Ron Bernal, who grew up in Walnut Creek, stated it was great and nostalgic to have a competition he had attended over time come to Antioch.
“From the business standpoint, it is going to bring folks who maybe never would have thought of coming to Antioch or have never been here before, are going to get to hopefully experience our community,” stated Bernal.
The competition traces its roots again to 1911, when it was a celebration of the grape harvest. In 1936, it was renamed the Walnut Competition after walnuts changed grapes as the brand new money crop.
This yr, the competition marks its 89th anniversary.
Over time, it has been held at numerous areas in Walnut Creek earlier than settling at Heather Farm Park.
In April 2024, the Walnut Creek Metropolis Council permitted plans to interchange the present Neighborhood Middle and Clarke Swim Middle at Heather Farm Park right into a mixed facility. The $77 million revamp is funded primarily by the voter-approved metropolis gross sales tax Measure O.
Amongst different options, the venture may even embody indoor and out of doors occasion areas, three multipurpose rooms, and two swimming pools. Synthetic turf may even be put in on the ball fields, Buckshi stated.
In August, the present group heart was closed, with demolition and development slated for early subsequent yr, in response to town’s web site.
Due to the change in venue, Lagomarsino is anxious the competition might not draw an enormous crowd. One longtime function – the invite-only night time carnival for particular wants kids and their households – won’t be out there at this yr’s competition.
Lagomarsino feared that confusion and issues of safety would come up in Antioch, making the occasion harder to placed on. Beforehand in Walnut Creek, she stated some households had tried to achieve free entry into the night time carnival, regardless of being instructed it was an invitation-only occasion.
“I just didn’t want to put it where anybody was having to argue with anybody, because we can’t let them in,” she stated.
One other problem Lagomarsino faces is getting sufficient assist on the competition. In 2023, it was referred to as off on account of an absence of volunteers.
“They were quick to judge about that, but they weren’t asking to be a volunteer. And that was the frustrating part,” she stated with regard to group suggestions. “If you’re going to complain that I can’t have it because of volunteers, then give me a few hours of your time.”
The four-day Walnut Competition begins on Oct. 16. Other than carnival rides, there may even be a youngsters zone, stay music, meals distributors, and a craft beer and wine backyard.
There are at the moment seven confirmed bands and teams that may carry out, akin to 3 Queens of Motown, a tribute band that performs songs from Diana Ross, Tina Turner and Aretha Franklin; Take 2, a dance group that performs music from totally different genres; Soucano, a Latin rock, Chicano and soul cowl band; The Cheeseballs, a dance group; and blues artist Tia Carroll.
