HILLCREST, Calif. (KGTV) — Hundreds of people gathered for the annual CityFest street party in San Diego’s most diverse and vibrant neighborhood, enjoying food, art and music across nine blocks.
The festival, which organizers call San Diego’s largest art and music festival, stretches nearly half a mile and features local vendors and cultural celebrations.
“We decided to come to the CityFest area and grab some food, check out our people, show Kaylee what the possibilities are for her and her business that are endless in the near future,” Crystal Brown said.
For residents like Brown, the event represents more than just entertainment.
“It gives us the feel that we belong here. It’s a sense of belonging for San Dieg. That’s what it is about out here, very diverse, very open, all walks of life and especially in this district here,” Brown said.
Joseph Garcia, another San Diego resident, shares similar sentiments about the neighborhood.
“It always makes me feel good being in Hillcrest, being around my people, my neighbors, so I always feel included and welcome and uplifted in the community,” Garcia said.
The festival also provides a platform for cultural celebration through food vendors like Mama V’s Lumpia, which specializes in authentic Filipino cuisine.
“Being from an ethnic culture background, it just feels really good to be included everywhere, especially here,” said Melanie Jirjis, one of the owners of Mama V’s Lumpia.
Jirjis believes food is their way of connecting with the community.
“How else you spread love? You spread it through food, so everything’s homemade and hand rolled by Mama V and she loves sharing all of her homemade recipes with everybody and anybody,” Jirjis said.
The essence of CityFest centers around celebrating community, diversity and spreading love through shared experiences.
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