SAN DIEGOSAN DIEGO — Families coming to southeastern San Diego will have an opportunity to stuff their faces with cotton candy, ride a Ferris wheel and enjoy musical performances from local artists at the first free San Diego Youth Carnival later this month.
The carnival will take place at 12 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, July 24, at the Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation. The event is the product of a partnership with longtime community activist Kathleen Harmon and the nonprofits, San Diego Community Assist and the San Diego Peace Coalition “Children Without Parents.”
“We wanted to bring something to the area where kids and families could come out and everything is free,” said Xavier Mitchell, founder of San Diego Community Assist, a nonprofit that addresses homelessness and housing issues. It has hosted laptop distribution and food distribution events to help students and families in southeastern San Diego.
The coronavirus pandemic made many families feel isolated in their homes, Mitchell said, so the carnival is a way to get them out of the house and remind them that organizations are working to bring opportunities to the area.
“I think the biggest thing is them knowing that they have not been forgotten about, and there are people who care about them and their kids,” Mitchell said. “It’s important to be present.”
There will be carnival games, live music, food trucks, a popcorn machine, local vendors and raffle prizes.
“Our children in Encanto don’t have any activities or anything to entertain them,” Harmon said. “It’s just a family day. It’s just about building the community.”
The event’s organizers plan to pay tribute to community heroes who have worked to better southeastern San Diego, including James Wiley Jr., founder and president of the youth ministry Reel Teens; Bishop George McKinney from St. Stephen’s Cathedral Church Of God In Christ; and Harmon, a longtime community leader in southeastern San Diego.
Event speakers include San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, California Secretary of State Shirley Weber, Assemblymember Akilah Weber, County Supervisor Chair Nathan Fletcher and San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit.
ission to the event and rides are free. Those interested in attending can online at mysdca.org.
