Gary Moskowitz
When she has time to leave her home in Sacramento and return to
Glendale to see family and friends, people always come up to Joan
Roellick Sweet and mention Harold Roellick's Texaco station, her
father's old business.
Now called Tony's, the gas station sits on the corner of Kenneth
Village, and was the place to get free hot dogs during Kenneth
Village Merchants Assn.'s 11th annual Fall Festival on Saturday.
The festival is, for the 34 businesses in the association, a
chance to reach out to the community, but for Sweet and many others
who grew up in Glendale, the festival is a perfect time to come home.
"This is our personal history, here on this street," Sweet said.
"I come here and remember old neighbors, and it's nice. In our modern
society, this sense of community and history is unique."
More than 1,000 people attended the annual street festival, many
of whom dressed in Halloween costumes. Children dressed like bees,
witches, pirates, Batman, Spiderman and race-car drivers, and adults
sported similar costumes.
The "Happy Trails" train car gave children rides up and down the
1400 block of Kenneth Road and Crazy Clown meandered through the
crowd on stilts while others walked in and out of Kenneth Village
shops.
For Valencia resident Kirk McClenahan, coming back for the annual
festival is a fun day for the family, but also a walk down memory
lane for the Hoover High School graduate. McClenahan was one of many
parents taking photos of his children as they passed by in the train,
waving.
"I love seeing everyone and how they've grown up," McClenahan
said. "It's very cool, because this is where my friends and I grew
up."
Samantha Anderson, 7, was excited to have a chance to wear her
"kiddie witch" Halloween costume.
"There are so many nice people here," Samantha said. "They act
like they care."
