Beer Garden
The Beer Garden is staffed by local charities established for the benefit of Manhattan Beach youth. A lottery takes place in June of each year, where four charities are selected to operate the Beer Garden.
Each group selected receives a portion of the net proceeds. The Beer Garden is located on Dorsey Field at the north end of the fairgrounds.
- Saturday & Sunday, 11:00 am - 6:00 pm
- Tickets are sold until 5:00 pm
- Last Call is at 5:30 pm
- NEW! Credit cards will be accepted as payment in the Beer Garden.
The following four organizations have been selected for our 2024 Beer Garden operations! Congrats to the randomly selected winners:
- Mira Costa High School Surf Team
- Mira Costa High School Football
- Mira Costa High School Softball
- Mira Costa High School Bands and Color Guard
Wine Garden
The Wine Garden will be in full swing at the fair as a go-to spot for sipping delicious wines, socializing and simply having some good, grownup fun. Come by and check out our new and expanded layout with two serving tents with tables and umbrellas perfect for relaxing and enjoying a variety of wines and other drinks. This year we will be pouring wine from Uncorked Wineshops and also offering Weekday Vibes non-alcoholic wine spritzes. The Wine Garden opens at 11 am.
Entertainment will be provided by Dave Leahy on Saturday from 1:00-5:30pm and Brian and Stacey Pothier on Sunday from 1:00-5:30pm.
This year, a portion of the proceeds from the Wine Garden will go to three deserving organizations whose members volunteer to make the Wine Garden successful.
Wine Garden Hours
- Saturday & Sunday, 11:00 am - 6:00 pm
- Live Music Saturday & Sunday, 1:00 - 5:30 pm
- Tickets are sold until 5:00 pm
- Last Call is at 5:30 pm
Paid Games
All South Bay service clubs are heartily invited to join in with their own brand of unique and fun games. Let's try to find some new and different ideas that will make this fair a great one! Get your application in early.
- Booths will be 10' by 10' (100 sq ft). Any booth occupying more than 100 sq ft will require two booth spaces.
- Booths operating activities where things are thrown or where any activity might bother a neighboring booth or the public at large must supply a back and/or sides and a roof for their booth, or they will not be allowed to operate.
- Clean up - each organization is responsible for the clean up in and around the assigned booth space during and after the Fair.
- The Fair hours will be 10:00am-6:00pm on Saturday and 10:00am-5:30pm on Sunday. Please plan to be open during these hours.
- Failure to comply with all the Booth Rules (click on the link below) can result in closure.
- You must review and agree to the Indemnification Clause (click on link below) in order to register for a booth
Proof of Liability Insurance Coverage
Depending on the type of game/activity you are hosting, a Certificate of Insurance may be required from each organization. It should name the Manhattan Beach Hometown Fair Association and the City of Manhattan Beach as additional insureds. We will inform you if you need one and can provide you information for where to buy the coverage for a nominal cost. If your organization is affiliated with the Manhattan Beach Unified School District, it is likely that an existing umbrella policy would provide coverage and we will contact them to get the policy for you. Other parent organizations may also have an umbrella policy, so please check before purchasing your own.
Games Offered This Year Include:
- Glitter Tattoos
- Colored Hair Spray
- Robot Jousting
- Lacrosse Games
- Skee Ball
- Golf Games
- Ball Toss
- Archery
- Dunk Tank
- Bracelet and Keychain Making
- Dino Dig
- Spin the Wheel
And More!
For more information on paid games, please contact Val Pagett at paidgames@mbfair.org.
Free Games
Kids of all ages enjoy the free games offered at the Hometown Fair. There is no charge to participate. Many thanks go to our local merchants who have donated generously to provide prizes that are awarded in each heat.
Free Games Schedule 2024
| Saturday, October 5, 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Three Legged Race | 11:00 am | Dorsey Field |
| Water Balloon Toss | 12:00 pm | Dorsey Field |
| Sack Race | 1:00 pm | Dorsey Field |
| Hula Hoop Contest | 2:00 pm | Dorsey Field |
| Obstacle Course | 3:00 pm | Dorsey Field |
| Sunday, October 6, 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Diaper Derby / Toddler Trot | 11:00 am | Dorsey Field |
| Water Balloon Toss | 12:00 pm | Dorsey Field |
| Sack Race | 1:00 pm | Dorsey Field |
| Hula Hoop Contest | 2:00 pm | Dorsey Field |
| Obstacle Course | 3:00 pm | Dorsey Field |
Kids Under 4
Magicians, Balloon Artist, and Animals
For children under 4, we have a magician and a balloon artist that will perform both days in Kid Country. There will also be wildlife shows, petting zoo and pony rides suitable for our younger visitors. You can find these activities in Kid Country.
Diaper Derby and Toddler Trot
The annual Diaper Derby and Toddler Trot races are a hit for both the parents and the children racers alike! Entrants for the Diaper Derby must still be crawling, and for the Toddler Trot, are walkers under 24 months. Parents… bring your cameras. It is a hoot!
To participate in the Toddler Trot and Diaper Derby, please sign up at the free games booth on Dorsey Field during fair weekend.
See Free Games for Diaper Derby and Toddler Trot times.
See Kid country for a list and schedule of all the events!
Kid Country
Kid Country is Family Country! We will have tons of fun filled entertainment including pony rides, petting zoo, balloon artist magician, and a wild animal show. Fun for all ages.
Kid Country is located on the Greenbelt off Ardmore Avenue at 15th Street (across from the Post Office).
There is no charge for the tons of fun located inside Kid Country!
Kid Country Hours Are: (2024)
- Pony rides: 10:00am-4:00pm
- Petting Zoo: 10:00am-4:00pm
- Wildlife Learning Center: 10:00am-5:00pm
- Inflatable Jumpers : 10:00am-5:00pm
- Wild Animal Show: 10:30am, 12:15pm, 2:15pm & 3:30pm
- Magic Show: 11:00am; 1:30pm
- Balloon Artist: 10:00pm-2:00pm
- Pony rides: 10:00am-3:30pm
- Petting Zoo: 10:00am-3:30pm
- Wildlife Learning Center: 10:00am-4:00pm
- Inflatable Jumpers: 10:00am-4:00pm
- Wild Animal Show: 10:30am, 12:15pm, 2:15pm & 3:00pm
- Magic Show: 11:00am; 1:30pm
- Balloon Artist: 10:00am-2:00pm
Private Event Friendship Circle Sunday 9:00-10:00am. Families with special needs children are welcome.
Community Showcase
The South Bay has got some amateur talent, and the Hometown Fair Community Showcase is the place to see it! There is something for everyone to delight in, from a wide variety of art and photography, tap dancing, folk dancing, modern dance, ballet, musical ensembles, poetry readings, crooners, and jazz combos. Come on into the Joslyn Center and check it all out, or better yet come and be a part of it! Amateurs only, please.
Amateur Art Exhibit
South Bay residents with a talent for drawing, painting, photography, sculpting, quilting, or other crafts are welcomed to submit an application to exhibit their work at the fair. Please no craft vendor submissions.
The 2024 awardees were:
| Fiber arts | ||
| First Place | Rhein Matlack | Merino Wool Shawl (knit) |
| Second Place | Diane Saign | Blue Visions (sewing) |
| Third Place | Anne Garrett | Cathedral (knit) |
| Honorable Mention | Laura Barbato | Colors to Cuddle (knit) |
| 3D arts | ||
| First Place | Brooke Muschott | Take a Sunset (photo collage) |
| Second Place (tie) | Julie Kwon | Hasedera Jizo vase (ceramic) |
| Second Place (tie) | Marlowe Morgan | Birthday Cake Bentley (ceramic) |
| Third Place | Amy Mccluskey | Spuds (ceramic) |
| 2D arts - Child (6-10) | ||
| First Place (tie) | Ellie Fogaren | Cat |
| First Place (tie) | Ellie Fogaren | Duck |
| Second Place (tie) | Tasha Yang | Rainbow |
| Second Place (tie) | Tasha Yang | The colorful donut |
| Honorable Mention | Ellie Fogaren | Cobra |
| 2D arts - Young Teen (11-14) | ||
| First Place | Marlowe Morgan | Berry Babies |
| Second Place | Daniel Rodriguez | Opposing Forces of the Beach |
| Third Place | Emma Fogaren | Chester in Space |
| Honorable Mention | Daniel Rodriguez | Summer of ‘84 |
| 2D arts - Teen (15-19) | ||
| First Place | Ashley Huebner | Missing My Grandmother |
| Second Place | Dane Kennedy | RGB Lines |
| 2D arts - Adult (20-64) | ||
| First Place | Mimi Woolley | Dolphin Daze |
| Second Place | Mimi Woolley | Under the Sea |
| Third Place | Brooke Muschott | Early Morning Pier |
| 2D arts - Senior (65+) | ||
| First Place | Barbara Reilly | Think They'll Know? |
| Second Place | Sue Cutler | Botanical Garden |
| Third Place | Jeff Rohrer | Dewey Weber |
| Honorable Mention | Kathy Zimmerman | Alone at Sunset |
| Honorable Mention | Bunnie Conaway-Kirsch | Beached Boat |
| Photography - K-12 (18 and under) | ||
| First Place | Daniel Rodriguez | Pumpkin Ride |
| Second Place | M. Morgan | Gatos |
| Third Place | Ryder Ramirez | Untitled |
| Honorable Mention | M. Morgan | Cozy |
| Photography - Adult (19 and up) | ||
| First Place | Kristen Zukley | Botanical Butterfly |
| Second Place | Kristen Zukley | From the Pier |
| Third Place | Daryl J Nelson | Sand & Me |
| Honorable Mention | Lynne Cochran | Manhattan Beach Rainbow |
Joslyn Amateur Performance Stage
South Bay area amateurs with a talent are invited to perform during the Hometown Fair. Performances are featured on the Joslyn Center Stage. Dance performances, gymnastics and karate exhibitions, choral groups, music and drama students are encouraged to submit applications. Click here for details.