Hillcrest fans enjoyed fantastic weather for the annual CityFest street fair topped with the 25th anniversary relighting of their beloved sign. This year’s new booth layout, with the beer & spirits garden on University Avenue and massive entertainment stage was a huge hit with the appreciative crowd. For the first time CityFest began at noon and continued into the night as neighbors and friends came to Hillcrest to party and celebrate the silver anniversary of the re-lighting of the iconic pink neon sign. CityFest 2009 closed University Avenue between Fourth and Fifth avenues and set up a grand stage and sound system at the corner of Fifth & University as emcee and vocalist Laura Jane entertained the masses and introduced a line-up of new entertainment that dazzled the swaying crowds as they danced in the street.
At dusk, the Spirit of Hillcrest led a lantern parade from Fifth & Pennsylvania to University as the crowd prepared for the re-lighting of the sign. Councilman Todd Gloria and the excited crowd counted down before he threw the symbolic switch to again light the newly painted beacon that was topped with fireworks. Here’s a slideshow of the festive day…andanother.
