Mural unveiling tops activities at Los Banos Fall Street Faire

The first mural unveiling in the city of Los Banos capped a lively and energetic street fair Saturday, during which hundreds of people rode trains and ponies and shopped downtown.

Visitors also checked out more than 70 stations along Sixth Street between I and K streets, including 60 vendors and 13 food booths, during the Fall Street Faire hosted by the Los Banos Chamber of Commerce.

Mayor Mike Villalta introduced the unveiling of the “Livery Stable Mural” as the first such presentation in the city. It was unveiled by the pull of a rope held by members from the city, chamber and other individuals who were instrumental in setting up the city’s renewed push for historic art downtown.

The mural, completed by Los Banos artist Anne Whitehurst, depicts the early history of Los Banos in a scene set from the perspective of someone on horseback on Seventh Street looking west on I Street, Whitehurst said.

Resembling a Wild West scene, the mural depicts a gathering of people in the foreground sitting on chairs drinking, with a barrel for a table. In the background is the old Livery Stable as well as other historical buildings.

Several other murals set to be installed in the downtown area are in the works, chamber President Bertha Faria said.

The fair gave established and new businesses a chance to showcase their products and services.

Monique Lewis, owner of Kustom Bling Kreations, has been using large community attractions such as the street fair to advertise her year-old business.

“It’s been the best way for me to advertise,” Lewis said. “We’ve been getting good feedback.”

Los Banos resident Eric Jimenez said he came downtown because it was a good opportunity to spend time with not just his family, but the community.

“We’re here because we live here,” Jimenez said, adding that it was his third time attending the street fair. “It’s a good time to get out with the community and enjoy.”

And while the street fair is a common event to Los Banos residents, it has also attracted vendors and residents from outside the city limit.

Chowchilla resident Jeannie Lawrence came to support her daughter, who was a vendor.

Lawrence said she comes to the city’s famous Basque restaurant, Wool Growers, often. But the fair let her see another angle of Los Banos.

“Los Banos has changed,” Lawrence said. “You can see it in events like this.”

Attractions at the fair included the Knights Express, a kiddie train ride that has been a staple of the biannual street fair, as well as pony rides and motorized-scooter animal rides, and a performance by local Dance Explosion students.

Sacramento resident Jim Willard said he travels to Los Banos to visit his 4-year-old daughter Bella Flores.

“Every year we do the fair,” Willard said. “It’s a good way to spend time with each other.”

In the morning, the Los Banos Rotary Club hosted an omelet breakfast at Westside Union Elementary School. During the fair, the Friends of the Los Banos Library held its biannual book sale at the street fair, with all profits from the sale going toward the Los Banos library.

The chamber also helped advertise the weekend quilt show of the Los Banos Arts Council Quilt Guild at the Ted Falasco Arts Center.

This story was originally published September 11, 2016 at 2:18 PM with the headline "Mural unveiling tops activities at Los Banos Fall Street Faire."