Inaugural 17th Street fair

Lolita Harper

COSTA MESA -- Brought together a year ago to fight the widening of

their street, the merchants on East 17th Street will hold a fall harvest

festival today to thank the community for its support and to draw more

attention to their businesses.

The 17th Street Village Street Fair and Fall Harvest Festival will

span four blocks and include music, dancing, pumpkin painting and face

painting. Most merchants will have special treats for participants,

ranging from a live band at Diedrich Coffee to free floats at Ruby’s

Diner, said Stephanie Barger, the event’s chairwoman.

In addition to celebrating their success in keeping a narrower 17th

Street, Barger said the merchants want the community to be aware of the

variety of shops that can be found on the busy thoroughfare.

“There are just too many stores and services to list. People who just

drive by don’t get to appreciate what a great shopping street this is,”

said Barger, who is also the executive director of Earth Resource

Foundation, 230 E. 17th St.

The merchants hope to cultivate the character of the street and create

a one-stop shopping environment where people are comfortable walking

around.

“Our goal is to create an atmosphere on 17th Street where people come,

park, walk around and shop,” said Doug Adsit, co-owner of Pierce Street

Annex, 330 E. 17th St.

Adsit said he is elated the “quaintness” of the street was preserved

and hopes to see more landscaping improvements along the walkways. Adsit

and many of his fellow merchants have been on 17th Street for 25 years or

more. The mix of the old shops with the newer and more mainstream

businesses makes for a perfect combination, he said.

In addition to being neighbors, the business owners are more connected

after banding together to fight the proposed widening, creating a

strengthened sense of community, Adsit said.

Most of the merchants on 17th Street live in the area, Barger said.

Therefore, they care not only about the bottom line but the neighborhood

itself, she said.

“The secret to a healthy society is having a sense of community and

getting to know one another,” Barger said.

FYI

* WHAT: 17th Street Village Street Fair and Fall Harvest Festival

* WHEN: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. today

* WHERE: East 17th Street, from Irvine Avenue to Newport Boulevard, in

Costa Mesa