Thousands Attend Block Party Festival Solano Avenue Stroll

Thousands flocked to Berkeley and Albany yesterday to attend the 34th annual Solano Avenue Stroll, a mile-long street festival featuring more than 500 vendors, nonprofits and live entertainers.

The festival, which had an estimated attendance of 300,000 people, kicked off at 10 a.m. with a parade showcasing local athletic and performing art groups that marched to promote the event's two themes-"Stroll for Health" and the city of Albany's 100th anniversary.

"It's kind of a really, really big version of Telegraph with businesses showcasing merchandise on the street," said UC Berkeley sophomore Katie McLaughlin.

According to Robert Cheasty, president of the Solano Avenue Association, the block party-style event is the largest of its kind in California and cost more than $200,000 to organize.

"One of the things different about this event from others like it is despite its size, we tried really hard to keep it a family event," he said.

According to Cheasty, the festival originally began as a Thursday night neighborhood event that attracted a few hundred people and expanded into a Berkeley-wide event in the 1980s.

But in the 1990s, there was talk to end the festival because it had low reception and required too much work. Cheasty revived the festival by extending hours, restricting alcohol, and adding professional bands and more food stalls.

Yesterday, a diverse group ranging from ethnic cuisines to pro-green booths lined the streets. The "Environmental Alley" displayed solar panels and electric cars and the city of Berkeley encouraged attendees to sign a pledge to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

McLaughlin, who has attended the event about ten times in her lifetime, said it is a good place to meet friends.

"It's a familiar event, a really good place to run into people you know," she said.

Mayor Tom Bates and other Berkeley and Albany city officials also attended the festival.

The current economic downturn did not seem to affect the event and people seemed drawn to the relaxed atmosphere, Cheasty said.

"People get to have fun, no pressure to be anything other than who they are," he said. "It's family friendly, down to earth. People can let their hair down here."

Tags: SOLANO STROLL