Officials Hope to Add Glitz to Mission District
- Share via
Hoping to launch its historic Mission District as an entertainment and dining center, San Gabriel officials tonight will inaugurate a weekly family festival.
The festival will feature a farmer’s market, crafts, food and rides for children, showcasing several eateries that have opened since the city refurbished the area three years ago. The weekly events are free and run 5 to 9 p.m.
Organizers hope that the festivals draw more visitors to the mission, which reopened last fall after years of repairs.
“It’s about bringing people to the Mission District to show what a beautiful and historic area we have,” said Judy Brown, executive director of the San Gabriel Chamber of Commerce.
San Gabriel’s effort is modeled after a successful weekly festival held Friday nights in Monrovia’s Old Town. It also illustrates an emerging trend among suburban cities to revitalize downtown centers by creating shopping and entertainment zones geared to pedestrians.
The Mission District is centered at the intersection of West Mission and Junipero Serra drives.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
