Deaf Fiesta brings crowd to Fairgrounds

Stefanie Frith

COSTA MESA -- Resident James Kittell just wants deaf people to feel

welcome in any surrounding.

This is why he organized the first ever Deaf Fiesta, which took place

Saturday and continues today at the Orange County Fairgrounds. By 10:30

a.m. Saturday, hundreds were lined up around the building just to get in,

and more than 5,000 are expected over both days.

Kittell, who is deaf, said he got the idea for the Deaf Fiesta after

having attended deaf expos around the country. He said he never

understood why all the expos took place in the fall.

“I decided I wanted to do one for the spring,” Kittell said in sign

language translated by Cheryl Doorley, an interpreter at La Mirada High

School. “I am planning to travel with it. I want to help try to bridge

the gap between the deaf and hearing and show that we all have the same

interests.”

At the fiesta, vendors displayed the latest in deaf-assisted

technology, like alarm clocks, special phones, beepers, and cookware.

There was also information on insurance, local churches, summer camps and

basketball leagues. Gifts like sweatshirts, key chains, books, coffee

mugs and subtitled films were also available.

Through the day on Saturday, different events were staged, such as

performances by The Little Theatre of the Deaf and Shawn Dale Barnett,

the world’s only known deaf percussionist. Loco Funk, a San Diego-based

deaf and hearing hip-hop group was also on the lineup. There was also an

Easter egg hunt for children.

Denise Renay Knoblock, a teacher at La Mirada High School, brought 15

of her deaf students to the fiesta in order for them to be better

involved in the deaf community.

“It’s hard for them to venture out because they can’t drive yet and

because the deaf community is so scattered about,” Knoblock said. “I like

for my students to get involved. I want some of them to join the deaf

basketball league they are forming here today, too.”

One of Knoblock’s students, 15-year-old Franky Duarte, said he was

glad to be at the fiesta because he is looking for deaf-assisted

products.

“I was looking at some of the pagers and the machines with the wake-up

alarms,” Franky said, communicating via sign language through Knoblock.

“It’s nice to be here and talk clearly and communicate with everyone.

Some of my friends have learned to sign though.”

Bobby Ofiu, another 15-year-old from La Mirada High School, agreed

that coming to events like the Deaf Fiesta is important in order for

members of the deaf community to meet one another.

“It feels good to talk,” Bobby said as Knoblock interpreted. “It’s

good to all come together and get to see everyone.”

Although Riverside resident Margaret Hepworth is not deaf, she said

she is hard of hearing and has recently been taking sign language

courses. She figured it would be a good idea to come to the fiesta with

the rest of the students from her class because she said she knows how

“tough” it is to get the whole deaf community together.

“This is a really good opportunity for Orange County to include the

deaf community,” she said. “That’s very important.”

FYI

What: Deaf Fiesta

When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. today

Where: Orange County Fairgrounds, 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa

Cost: $16 for adults, $8 for children under 12. Price includes a

T-shirt.

Call: (714) 557-4886