Noe Valley Voice June 2011
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Party on 24th Street on June 25!

By Heather World


Pet a goat, ride a horse-drawn wagon, or sway and swing to Hawaiian and bluegrass music—it’s all free Saturday, June 25, at the second summer festival sponsored by the Noe Valley Merchants and Professionals Association and the Noe Valley Association.

The streets will not be closed for SummerFEST 2011, but the sidewalks, park­lets, and parking lots will be teeming with activities, food, and entertainment, say organizers of the annual event.

The fun starts at 1 p.m., when local bluegrass band Byron Station plays at the city parking lot on 24th between Castro and Noe streets. At the other end of the festival, children can get their faces painted for free in the parklet in front of Martha & Bros. Coffee on 24th Street near Vicksburg. For those who want to make their own paintings, a chalk-drawing contest will be held in front of the Real Foods storefront on 24th between Sanchez and Noe streets. Forms can be picked up at Just for Fun, and entries will be judged in two age categories, 11 and younger and 12 and older. Just for Fun and Whole Foods have donated first-, second- and third-place prizes, like fair-trade handmade piggy banks, goody-filled backpacks, coffee mugs, and gift certificates. The contest ends at 4:30 p.m.

The animals make their entrance at 2 p.m. That’s when the horse-drawn covered wagon trots over to pick up passengers in front of Walgreen’s on Castro. Patxi’s Pizza plans to give out samples of its pizza to those waiting in line. Starting at 2:30, the wagon will add a stop at the Noe Valley Ministry parking lot, where a petting zoo will appear after the farmers’ market has ended. There will be twice as many sheep, goats, pigs, and chickens looking for affection this year, organizers say. Cups of feed will be on hand for $1. The hayride ends at 5 p.m., but the petting lasts until 6 p.m.

Caroline Joy Alegre and her ukelele take over the music at the city parking lot between 3 and 5 p.m.

Food will be ubiquitous throughout the day. Two farmers’ market vendors, Juicy Lucy and Curry Without Worry, will stay for the festival. Patxi’s will dole out a special SummerFEST slice of Hawaiian-style pizza from its storefront window between Castro and Noe streets, while the nearby parklet will become a Hawaiian island with free shaved ice and hula performances at 1:30 and 3 p.m.

Whole Foods plans to offer grilled food, small treats like mini ice-cream cones, and coffee for free in its parking lot. Space is being reserved there for Lover’s Lane Farm, which will erect a bee display to show how honey is made. The beekeepers will offer free honey sticks and have honey for sale.

The fun and free events come thanks to generous sponsorships from Zephyr Real Estate, PG&E, Circle Bank, Edward Jones, and Whole Foods.