California Borough celebrates return of Riverfest

By Matt Petras
For the MVI

Canceling the California Riverfest last year due to the pandemic was incredibly disappointing, according to event organizer Michelle Kinsey. In 2021, there was some uncertainty given the ongoing status of the pandemic, but after some later-than-usual planning, the festival returned.
“We started March this year, which is unheard of for an event this size in that short amount of time,” Kinsey said. “We pulled it off.”
The two-day festival looked largely the same as past years, with plentiful vendors lining the street and live music along with the festival’s second-ever car show and other unique activities like rock climbing.
The California Riverfest, a tradition for the college town, has been bringing the community together for years. Mon Valley and Pittsburgh-area businesses and organizations fill vendor booths, selling art work, food, jewelry and much more. California University of Pennsylvania students are among the attendees of the festival.
“This is their first time, incoming freshmen, sophomores, this is their first time on campus,” Kinsey said. “So we want to have a celebration for them, introduce them to town. And then also, for our townspeople, our school kids are going back to school this year, and (we want them to) be able to get out and enjoy themselves, see their neighbors and celebrate with them.”
In 2019, The California Riverfest hosted its first car show and then had to miss out on following it up when COVID-19 meant no festival in 2020. Joe Grodz, organizer of the car show in 2019 and this year, said he was happy with the turnout at this year’s car show, which took place Sunday afternoon.
“There’s not too many times there’s a local event for the local community to be able to show off their cars,” Grodz said. “It’s nice to see them be able to do that.”
Grodz also felt disappointed about the cancellation of the festival last year and acknowledged just how special the event is for the community.
“My son looks forward to this like it’s a holiday,” Grodz said. “On friday, he said to me, ‘hey, happy Riverfest-eve.’”
Harmon Ziegler, a resident of California for a few years now after living for about 25 years in Charleroi, first made his way to the vendor booth manned by Jason Furda, a popular Pittsburgh-area photographer. Ziegler remembers Furda’s booth from a previous year and loves his photography.
“I’m 83-years-old,” Ziegler said. “He’s the best photographer I’ve ever seen.”
The Rotary Club of California, Pa., had a booth, as always, and this year focused on its mission to install “blessing boxes” around the community, at areas like the Methodist Church in California. The boxes, painted yellow and blue to match the rotary club’s colors, allow people to leave and take books as well as food, snacks and just about anything else that will fit inside the box.
“It’s been a very popular project throughout the United States,” said former Rotary Club of California, PA president Beth Baxter. “There’s lots of these around.”
The California Riverfest reminds Kinsey why she loves California so much. She’s lived in the community for about eight years now and said the family-oriented area continues to grow. She said California has a great school district and pointed to new dance studios and upcoming performances through California University’s theatre program.
“There’s lots to do in town, you just need to find it sometimes,” Kinsey said. “Get out of your shell and find it.”

Matt Petras / For the Mon Valley Independent
Dozens of classic cars were part of this year’s California RIverfest over the weekend.

Cora Kinsey and Michelle Kinsey enjoy the beautiful weather at Riverfest.

The Classics were among the band’s performing at Riverfest.