By Kathy Chouteau
Are you ready for a Sunday stroll with a little something extra this weekend? The El Sobrante Chamber of Commerce is hosting the “El Sobrante Stroll Festival and Parade” Sun., Sept. 18, including a parade with marching bands and horses at 11 a.m., followed by the stroll and numerous attractions until 4 p.m. on San Pablo Dam Rd. in downtown El Sobrante.
The Stroll, which is celebrating its 27th incarnation this year, will feature approximately 200 vendors, businesses, food by local vendors, hands-on crafts, live music, a Custom & Classic Car Show and a professional bike show hosted by The Pedaler, according to organizers. The event aims “to build community pride, attract visitors to the downtown area and create cherished memories for the whole family,” they added.
“This massive undertaking is made up of a group of volunteers who handle everything from event planning, vendor applications, traffic control to parade coordination,” said Nicole Donn, Chamber president and branch manager of U.S. Financial Mortgage Lending. “You can say it’s a labor of love to get this thing off the ground each year.”
Due to the Stroll, San Pablo Dam Rd in El Sobrante will be closed between El Portal Drive and Appian Way for the festivities from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday. Organizers expect traffic to be slow on Appian Way, El Portal Drive and on the open sections of San Pablo Dam Rd in El Sobrante. A suggested detour route around the section closed for the event is Interstate 80 between San Pablo Dam Rd in San Pablo and Appian Way in Pinole. Those with questions about traffic can contact Jim Cowen of the Chamber at 510-385-6277.
Event parking is limited, however, an accessible shuttle will pick up festival goers from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. along a loop at I-80/Hilltop Drive; Moose Lodge at 4660 Appian Way; and the El Sobrante Library at Garden Rd. and Appian Way.
“I just love seeing thousands of people from all walks of life, strolling together and discovering the amenities our El Sobrante valley community offers—a community I call home,” said Marie Carayanis, a business owner and past Chamber president.
Find out more about the Stroll here.
