The Riviera Village Summer Festival returns for the first time since 2019 for three days of live music, food and outdoor shopping beginning June 24.
According to event organizers, the 43rd year of the festival will return at full strength after a two-year break amid the coronavirus pandemic.
In addition to the typical festival fare — carnival, beer garden, food court and craft vendors — the event will open with a rock band made up of Redondo Beach Firefighters making its public debut.
And, for the first time, attendees can purchase a festival T-shirt as well as walk the red carpet with the beloved Star Wars characters who made an appearance in 2019.
Kathleen Fisher, a coordinator of the event, said the festival is an important way for Riviera Village Association to get the word out about the home-town feel of the village, a section of South Redondo Beach bordering Torrance and the Palos Verdes Peninsula that features restaurants and shopping.
“The Riviera Village is just so different from the other South Bay communities like Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach, that have their own distinct personalities,” Fisher said. “It’s great that people can get something different from each of these beach towns.”
Michael Bell, whose company Bell Event Services is producing the event, said organizers had hoped to bring back the festival in 2021, but they could not get enough vendors because of COVID-19 restrictions, so they decided to wait another year.
And, even though the dining decks have limited street space, said Bell, it will be a full festival.
“They (dining decks) are gonna stick around a little bit longer and I don’t blame the restaurants, they need them, so we made it work,” Ball said.
The event starts Friday from 4 to 9 p.m. with a carnival, food trucks, wine and beer garden, and live entertainment by Retrofit at 4 p.m. and Barley at 7 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday, June 25 and 26, the festival begins with DJ Ozzie playing songs from the 1960s and 70s beginning at 10 a.m.
There will be more than 200 arts and crafts vendors, wine and beer garden, international food court, a carnival featuring a Ferris wheel and games, as well as a petting zoo.
“Star Wars” fans can meet and greet Death Vader, Stormtroopers and more, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on June 25.
On Sunday, June 26, there will be a performance presented by Dance 1 Studio from noon to 1:30 p.m.
For the first time, the Redondo Beach Fire Department band Sea Shift and the Overtimers, will join the live entertainment. They will open the festival at 10 a.m. on Saturday.
Also for the first time, Fisher said, Riviera Village branded T-shirts will be for sale at a booth on S. Catalina Ave., at the intersection of Vista del Mar, to benefit the Riviera Village Improvement District. The Village BID, Fisher said, is for beautification, marketing and increasing collaboration with the city and member businesses.
For more information, visit rvsummerfestival.com or call (310) 349-0743.
Entertainment schedule
FRIDAY, JUNE 24–Retrofit, 4 to 6 p.m.–Barley, 7 to 9 p.m.
SATURDAY, JUNE 25–Sea Shift and the Overtimers, 10 a.m.–Max80s, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.–Jeremy Buck, 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.–Tres Hombres, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
SUNDAY, JUNE 26–Crow Hill Band, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.–Almost Famous, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.–Feed the Kitty, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
