Westminster City Council
SUBJECT
Title
2026 Fall Festival Overview.
End
From: Vanessa Johnson, Community Services Director
Requested by: Administration
Prepared by: Vanessa Johnson, Community Services Director
____________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Recommendation
Receive and file.
end
BACKGROUND
The City of Westminster hosted its fifth annual Fall Festival September 24-27, 2026, at the Civic Center. Over the past five years, the Fall Festival has evolved into one of the City's signature community events, bringing together residents, businesses, community organizations, and visitors for four days of entertainment, cultural celebrations, and family-friendly activities. More than simply celebrating the fall season, the festival provides an opportunity to showcase the diversity, community spirit, and partnerships that make Westminster unique.
Following a decline in attendance and carnival revenue in 2025, staff took a thoughtful and intentional approach to planning the fifth annual event. An emphasis was placed on introducing new attractions, expanding cultural programming, strengthening community partnerships, and implementing a more comprehensive marketing and outreach strategy. These coordinated efforts were designed to generate excitement, broaden the festival's reach, and enhance the overall experience for attendees.
2026 Festival Highlights and Enhancements
The fifth annual Fall Festival featured several significant enhancements, including new attractions, expanded cultural programming, and additional opportunities for community participation.
Among the most notable additions was the introduction of a spectacular drone show following Friday evening's Welcome Ceremony. This first-time attraction provided a unique entertainment experience for festivalgoers and served as a major highlight of the weekend. The show featured custom-designed imagery celebrating the City of Westminster, Fall Festival, and America's 250th anniversary. The drone show generated considerable excitement and served as a major attraction for Friday evening's festivities, contributing to the overall appeal of the event.
Another significant enhancement was the City's collaboration with Little Saigon TV to bring the Moon Lantern Celebration to the Fall Festival for the first time. This partnership introduced a major cultural celebration into the festival's programming, featuring traditional performances and activities honoring Vietnamese heritage. The addition further strengthened the festival's connection to the community and provided another signature experience for families and attendees.
In recognition of America's 250th anniversary, patriotic elements were incorporated throughout the festival, including event marketing, decorations, and activities. A highlight was the interactive community art mural presented in partnership with Art Supply Warehouse, inviting attendees to contribute to a collaborative American flag artwork celebrating this historic milestone.
The festival also embraced Hispanic Heritage Month through cultural entertainment and activities celebrating Hispanic traditions. The popular “Lotería” games returned for another year and were once again enthusiastically received by attendees, further demonstrating the community's appreciation for interactive cultural experiences.
Additional highlights included expanded children's activities, a diverse entertainment lineup featuring more than 21 live performances, and continued collaboration with local schools, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and community groups.
Staff also placed additional emphasis on marketing and community outreach, including expanded television and radio promotion, new media partnerships, and creative social media campaigns designed to reach broader audiences.
Collectively, these enhancements reflected the City's commitment to continually improving the Fall Festival and creating an event that celebrates Westminster's diverse community. The efforts coincided with increased community interest and participation, with estimated attendance reaching 12,800 -- a 66% increase over 2025 -- and carnival revenue increasing significantly over the previous year.
Marketing
As part of the City's efforts to increase attendance and generate excitement for the fifth annual Fall Festival, staff placed a heightened emphasis on marketing and community outreach. A comprehensive promotional campaign was developed to expand the festival's visibility, highlight new attractions and programming, and reach a broader audience through a combination of traditional advertising, digital media, community partnerships, and direct outreach.
Media and Digital Promotion:
A significant component of this year's marketing strategy was expanded television and radio exposure, including the new partnership with Little Saigon TV. As part of this collaboration, Little Saigon TV produced and aired festival commercials on its television and radio networks and featured the Community Services Director on a talk show to promote the event. Staff also participated in interviews with several local television stations, including Saigon TV, VNA-TV (Vietnam America TV), AVA TV, and IBC TV.
Staff continued to emphasize creative and engaging social media content, incorporating video highlights, trending audio, and staff participation to generate excitement and increase online engagement. The festival was also promoted through popular community and family-oriented platforms, including Eventbrite, Kids Out and About, OrangeCounty.net, and Parenting OC. Additionally, the event gained organic exposure through numerous local social media pages and community blogs that independently featured and shared festival information, further extending its reach beyond the City's direct marketing efforts.
Print and Newspaper Advertising:
This year, the department expanded its print advertising through two rounds of newspaper outreach. The first served as an early “Save the Date” while also promoting opportunities for vendors, entertainers, and sponsors to participate in the festival. The second focused on promoting the festival and community attendance. Advertisements were also placed in a variety of local and culturally focused publications including El Clasificado, Epoch Times, Nguoi Viet, Orange County News, Viet Bao, Vien Dong, and Westminster Herald.
Community Outreach:
In the weeks leading up to the festival, staff distributed thousands of flyers at city and community events, including the Summer Movies and Music Series; Asian Garden Mall’s Night Market, where custom hand fans featuring Fall Festival information were given out; and several Back to School Nights. Banners were produced and prominently displayed at two major street crossings and at local parks to further spread the word. Additionally, Fall Festival advertisements were strategically placed at bus stop shelters and benches throughout the city, ensuring visibility for commuters and passersby.
The event was highlighted in the quarterly Fall Newsletter and Recreation Guide, a publication that reaches every household and business in Westminster and provides a comprehensive overview of city activities. To reach an even wider audience, the festival was featured in the Community Services Department's weekly e-newsletters, keeping residents up to date on event details.
In addition to the city’s promotional efforts, the Westminster School District, Makers Hive Market, and other community collaborators lent their support in spreading the word. These organizations helped promote the festival through their own extensive networks, reaching families, students, and local artisans.
Furthermore, notification letters were sent to residents and businesses within a 1,000-foot radius of the event, ensuring that local stakeholders were well-informed about the festival and its impact on their neighborhood.
Once again, staff produced a magazine-style festival program that was disseminated to festival attendees, sponsors, and entertainers. The program guide not only provided advertising benefits, but also served as a keepsake for the event.
Vendors
The 2026 Fall Festival featured a diverse selection of food, commercial, and nonprofit vendors, providing a variety of dining, shopping, and community engagement opportunities for attendees. The “vendor village” offered a mix of local businesses, community organizations, and City departments, further contributing to the festival's welcoming and community-focused atmosphere. Layouts in both the dining and vendor areas were redesigned in relation to the number of vendors and to maximize the available space and optimize visibility and flow. More communal tables were added to the dining areas to further encourage food purchases and increase gathering spaces.
The festival featured 18 food vendors offering a wide variety of cuisines, including Salvadoran, Korean, Japanese, Filipino, Hawaiian, Mexican, Vietnamese, and American dishes, along with specialty desserts and beverages. The beer garden returned this year with extended service to include Thursday, further expanding beverage options for attendees. In addition to the food vendors, 23 commercial and nonprofit vendors participated throughout the weekend, offering merchandise, services, and information to festivalgoers.
To encourage participation and accommodate businesses of varying sizes, staff continued utilizing a two-tiered vendor fee structure, offering discounted rates to vendors providing their own booth infrastructure. Commercial and nonprofit vendors participated on Saturday and Sunday.
The Embrace Aging Senior Expo, held in conjunction with the festival, featured 46 participating vendors and organizations offering information and resources related to health care, caregiving, transportation, senior safety, financial services, and other services supporting older adults. A four-tiered vendor fee structure provided opportunities for businesses and organizations of varying sizes to participate, including smaller businesses and emerging ventures.
Entertainment
Live entertainment continued to be a cornerstone of the Fall Festival, with a full schedule of performances throughout all four days of the event. The festival featured more than 21 live performances, offering a diverse mix of professional bands, cultural entertainment, student performances, dance groups, and interactive experiences designed to appeal to audiences of all ages and interests.
Considerable attention was given to developing an entertainment lineup that reflected Westminster's diverse community while providing a variety of musical genres and performances throughout the weekend, including Latin music, country, rock, classic hits, Vietnamese cultural performances, martial arts demonstrations, and live band karaoke. Local schools, community organizations, and professional entertainers shared the stage, creating opportunities to showcase community talent alongside established performers.
The festival's main stage once again featured an impressive production setup, complete with professional sound and lighting, special effects, a large LED video screen, and a vibrant illuminated dance floor. The dynamic lighting and visual displays transformed the Sunken Gardens into an exciting entertainment venue, creating a concert-like atmosphere throughout the weekend. The illuminated dance floor was a particularly popular feature, inviting attendees to dance and enjoy the performances while adding to the festive atmosphere. Together, these elements enhanced the overall entertainment experience and provided a visually engaging setting for both performers and audiences.
A major highlight of Friday evening's entertainment was the introduction of the Fall Festival's first drone show, presented following the Welcome Ceremony. Staff worked closely with the show designer to develop a customized experience, carefully selecting each image and accompanying song to reflect the City, the festival, and America's 250th anniversary. The aerial display added a new dimension to the festival's entertainment programming and provided a unique visual experience for attendees, contributing to the excitement surrounding Friday's festivities.
A major addition to this year's entertainment programming was the Moon Lantern Celebration, presented in partnership with Little Saigon TV on Saturday evening. More than a traditional stage performance, the celebration featured a variety of cultural experiences, including live entertainment, a festive lantern walk, hands-on cultural crafts and activities, themed photo opportunities, and participating vendors. The celebration brought an additional level of excitement and engagement to the festival, providing families with opportunities to experience and participate in Vietnamese cultural traditions. This collaboration was a significant enhancement to the festival's programming and further reinforced the Fall Festival's role as a celebration of Westminster's diverse community.
The entertainment lineup included:
• Thursday (Cultural Night Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month) - Westminster School District student performances (Spanish Dual Language Immersion program), La Quinta High School Baile Folklórico Group, OC Mariachi Band, Huntington Beach Adult School Sin Fronteras (Folklórico), and The C Band (Latin band).
• Friday - Westminster High School Entertainment Unit (marching band), The Brightsiders (high school teachers rock band), Welcome Ceremony, Drone Show, and Franklin Wall (Country band).
• Saturday - DJ Thomas Varela (DJ services), Radio Royalty (80s, 90s, & 2000s band), Westminster School District student performances (Vietnamese Dual Language Immersion program), Câu Lạc Bộ Tình Nghệ Sĩ (Vietnamese Artists Friendship Club), Little Saigon TV Moon Lantern Celebration (featuring 15 unique cultural performances including a lantern parade), and Theresa Palm (karaoke services).
• Sunday - Thiên Ân Performing Arts (Vietnamese drumming performance and lion dance), Bubbles Unleashed (bubble entertainment), Westminster Arts Academy (pop music dance performance), Shaolin Warrior Academy (traditional Shaolin Kung Fu Martial Art performance), Total Request: Live Band Karaoke (live band karaoke), Funk Station (old school funk, soul & R&B band), and Just A Girl (No Doubt tribute band).
Carnival Rides and Activities
The carnival continued to serve as one of the festival's signature attractions, transforming the City Hall parking lot into a vibrant midway filled with rides, games, and activities throughout the four-day event. Featuring 15 rides ranging from family-friendly attractions to exciting thrill rides, the carnival offered entertainment for guests of all ages and remained a major component of the overall festival experience. Popular attractions included the Ferris wheel, Zipper, and bumper cars, while the addition of the Yoyo Swings introduced a new thrill ride that quickly became a crowd favorite.
Significant attention was given to enhancing the carnival experience in 2026, with staff working closely with the carnival operator to refine the layout, improve pedestrian circulation, and create a more comfortable and inviting environment for attendees. The carnival's prominent location, in the Westminster Civic Center and adjacent to the intersection of Westminster Boulevard and All American Way, provides tremendous visibility with the colorful rides and attractions generating excitement in the days leading up to the festival.
As one of the festival's primary attractions, the carnival also represented an important source of revenue. Following a decline in 2025, carnival revenue increased significantly in 2026, providing an encouraging indicator of increased participation.
Beyond the carnival, the festival offered a variety of interactive activities designed to encourage family participation and community engagement. Sunday's “Kids' Corner” featured activities hosted by youth volunteer organizations, including the Westminster Youth Committee, Marina High School Red Cross, La Quinta High School Make-A-Wish, and Chicano Latino Youth Leadership Project. These activities provided additional opportunities for children and families to enjoy the festival while highlighting the contributions of local youth and community organizations.
In recognition of America's 250th anniversary, the City partnered with Art Supply Warehouse to offer an interactive American flag mural, inviting attendees to contribute to a collaborative piece of community artwork commemorating this historic milestone.
Cultural activities also played an important role in the festival experience. In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, the Family Resource Center hosted “Lotería” on Thursday evening, which once again proved to be a popular and well-received activity. Additionally, Little Saigon TV's decorative lantern walk display, featured Friday through Sunday, added a festive cultural element to the festival grounds and provided unique photo opportunities for attendees.
Together, these attractions and activities complemented the festival's extensive entertainment lineup and provided a wide range of experiences for attendees throughout the weekend.
Logistics and Staffing
Planning and coordinating an event of this magnitude requires months of preparation and extensive collaboration among City departments, contractors, and community partners. Considerable coordination went into every aspect of the festival, including the carnival layout, stage production, entertainment, vendor operations, public safety, and the introduction of new attractions such as the drone show and Moon Lantern Celebration. These efforts involved numerous planning meetings, site evaluations, and logistical considerations to ensure a successful and enjoyable experience for attendees.
Onsite setup was equally extensive, requiring the closure of most of the City Hall parking lot during the week leading up to the event. Transforming the Civic Center into a four-day festival venue involved coordinating the delivery, installation, and placement of carnival rides, staging, equipment, and other event infrastructure while minimizing impacts to regular City operations. The Public Works, Community Services & Recreation, and Police Departments played vital roles in overseeing equipment load-in, event operations, public safety, and load-out following the festival. Staff also supported vendors throughout the weekend, addressed operational needs, and ensured compliance with permitting and sanitation requirements.
More than 100 City employees from all departments staffed the event, many taking on responsibilities outside their normal scope of work. Duties included event oversight, entertainment and stage management, general security and event maintenance, staffing information booths and providing community outreach, managing event access points and parking lots, serving as liaisons to vendors and carnival operators, coordinating children's activities, and staff hospitality. The collective efforts of employees and interdepartmental collaboration were essential to the successful execution of the festival. As event planning and implementation continue to evolve and streamline, so does the onsite staffing needs, as reflected in the reduction of staff time required this year while not compromising quality or safety.
Volunteer participation was again a valuable component of the event -- expanding activity options and encouraging community involvement and youth leadership. A total of 34 community volunteers from various organizations helped lead games and activities on Thursday and Sunday. Volunteers from the City’s Youth Committee, the Family Resource Center’s Community Engagement Advisory Committee (CEAC), Marina High School’s Red Cross Club, La Quinta High School’s Make-A-Wish Club, and the Chicano Latino Youth Leadership Project contributed approximately 126 hours throughout the weekend. Additionally, 37 Westminster Police Department Explorers and 12 advisors provided substantial event support, with volunteer coverage across six shifts for 203.5 hours from Thursday through Sunday.
Combined, these volunteer efforts totaled approximately 330 hours, representing an estimated monetary value of $13,246, calculated based on the California standard hourly value of volunteer time. These contributions provided valuable operational support and enhanced the event experience while demonstrating the strong community partnerships and volunteer engagement that helped make the Fall Festival a success.
Budget, Revenue, and Expenditures
The 2026 Fall Festival was supported through a combination of sponsorships from both new and returning sponsors, vendor fees, carnival revenue, and other contributions. As part of the City's efforts to enhance the fifth annual event, additional resources were invested in expanded entertainment, new attractions, marketing, and improvements to the overall festival experience.
The following provides a breakdown of festival revenues and expenditures, along with a comparison to the previous year.
|
2026 Fall Festival Vendor Fees |
Amount |
|
Vendor Fees |
$29,688.00 |
|
|
|
|
Total |
$29,688.00 |
|
2026 Fall Festival Sponsorships |
Level |
Amount |
|
Little Saigon TV |
Title |
$10,000.00 |
|
Westminster School District |
Title |
$10,000.00 |
|
Westminster Municipal Employees’ Association |
Diamond |
$ 5,000.00 |
|
Westminster Police Officers’ Association |
Diamond |
$ 5,000.00 |
|
H Mart |
Gold |
$ 2,500.00 |
|
Garden Grove Unified School District |
Gold |
$ 2,500.00 |
|
Midway City Sanitary District |
Gold |
$ 2,500.00 |
|
Westminster Memorial Park |
Gold |
$ 2,500.00 |
|
Win Nguyen Law |
Gold |
$ 2,500.00 |
|
Y&G Income Tax and Multi-Services |
Gold |
$ 2,500.00 |
|
Families Together of Orange County |
Silver |
$ 1,000.00 |
|
Gastrointestinal & Liver Consultants |
Silver |
$ 1,000.00 |
|
Hirsch & Associates, Inc. |
Silver |
$ 1,000.00 |
|
McDonald’s - Ruby Corp. |
Silver |
$ 1,000.00 |
|
TIMEPROOFUSA |
Silver |
$ 1,000.00 |
|
Lyons Menagerie |
Bronze |
$ 500.00 |
|
Westminster Mega Pawn |
Bronze |
$ 500.00 |
|
Anh V. Nguyen |
Bronze |
$ 500.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
$52,000.00 |
|
2026 Fall Festival In-Kind Sponsors |
Description |
Estimated Value |
|
Art Supply Warehouse |
Interactive Art Mural |
$ 500.00 |
|
Manhattan Stitching |
Donation of staff shirts |
$2,000.00 |
|
Wienerschnitzel |
2,200 hot dogs and gift basket |
$ 595.00 |
|
Wingstop |
1,000 boneless wings and sides |
$1,500.00 |
|
Innovative Fence |
Event fencing |
$ 500.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
$ 5,095.00 |
|
2026 Fall Festival Other Contributions |
Amount |
|
Entertainment |
$21,114.64 |
|
|
|
|
Total |
$21,114.64 |
|
2026 Fall Festival Additional Revenue Amount |
|
|
Carnival |
$17,768.00 |
|
Festival Merchandise |
$ 232.50 |
|
|
|
|
Total |
$18,000.50 |
|
2026 Fall Festival Expenditures |
Cost |
|
Entertainment (drone show, bands, performers, face painting, etc.) |
$37,099.64 |
|
Equipment/Rentals (stage, lighting, sound system, restrooms, hand washing stations, canopies, chairs, tables, umbrellas, generators, technicians, barricades, etc.) |
$54,466.70 |
|
Marketing (postage, newspaper and social media ads, bus shelter ads, banners, posters, yard signs, program printing, media, etc.) |
$10,714.41 |
|
Supplies (festival merchandise, materials, decorations, prizes and games for Lotería, food for staff, etc.) |
$8,669.02 |
|
|
|
|
Total |
$110,949.77 |
|
2026 Fall Festival Totals |
|
|
Revenue |
$120,803.14 |
|
Expenditures |
$110,949.77 |
|
|
|
|
Total Net Revenue |
$9,853.37 |
Below is a comparison of total revenues and expenditures to the previous year:
|
Totals |
2026 |
2025 |
|
Vendor Fees |
$29,688.00 |
$33,143.80 |
|
Sponsorships |
$52,000.00 |
$55,250.00 |
|
Other Contributions |
$21,114.64 |
$22,400.00 |
|
Carnival Revenue |
$17,768.00 |
$10,724.80 |
|
Festival Merchandise |
$ 232.50 |
$ 680.00 |
|
Total Revenue |
$120,803.14 |
$122,198.60 |
|
|
|
|
|
Expenditures |
$110,949.77 |
$ 91,657.28 |
|
|
|
|
|
Total Net Revenue |
$ 9,853.37 |
$ 30,541.32 |
|
|
|
|
|
Event Staffing |
$62,226.19 |
$ 71,507.39 |
Compared to 2025, overall festival revenue decreased slightly, while expenditures increased, reflecting the City's intentional investment in enhancing the fifth annual event. These investments in new attractions, expanded entertainment, and increased marketing efforts were strategically intended to generate greater community interest, attract additional attendees, and increase participation throughout the festival. The significant increase in carnival revenue, following the previous year's decline, was an encouraging result of these efforts and reflects the value of continued investment in the overall festival experience.
Despite the additional investments, the festival once again generated sufficient revenues to cover its direct expenditures, excluding City staffing costs which decreased from the previous year. While financial performance is an important consideration, the festival's value extends beyond revenue generation, providing opportunities for cultural celebration, community engagement, and support for local businesses and organizations.
Attendance
The 2026 Fall Festival experienced a significant increase in attendance, reflecting the positive results of the City's intentional efforts to enhance the fifth annual event. Based on geofencing data, approximately 12,800 people attended the festival, representing a 66% increase over 2025 and the highest estimated attendance in the past four years, as summarized below:
|
Year |
Estimated Attendance |
|
2023 |
11,300 |
|
2024 |
10,300 |
|
2025 |
7,692 |
|
2026 |
12,800 |
Attendance estimates are based on geofencing data, which uses mobile device location information to measure attendance and may not capture all festivalgoers. As such, the figures should be considered estimates rather than exact attendance counts.
The substantial increase in attendance, coupled with the significant growth in carnival revenue, represents an encouraging outcome for the City's strategic investments in the festival. The new attractions expanded entertainment and cultural programming, enhanced marketing efforts, and strengthened community partnerships were all intentionally designed to generate excitement, broaden the festival's appeal, and increase community participation.
These results demonstrate the value of the City's continued investment in the Fall Festival. Staff will continue building upon this year's successes and identify opportunities to further enhance the festival experience in future years.
FISCAL IMPACT
The budget for the Fall Festival is in Community Promotions program 75000 Other-Revenue object 39049 and Special Department Expense object 44020. Sufficient funds were included in the FY 2026-27 budget. No adjustment is needed.
LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed as to form.
CONCLUSION
The fifth annual Fall Festival was a successful celebration of Westminster's diversity and community spirit, reinforcing its place as one of the City's signature annual events. The positive results of 2026 provide a strong foundation for continued enhancements, community partnerships, and cultural programming.
To continue the successful partnership with Little Saigon TV and incorporate the Moon Lantern Celebration into the 2027 Fall Festival, the event will be held September 16-19, 2027, one week earlier than traditionally scheduled. This adjustment will better align the festival with the Mid-Autumn celebration and build upon the cultural programming introduced in 2026. Budget considerations will be included in the FY 2027-28 budget process.
ATTACHMENTS
None.
REVIEWED BY
Erin Backs, Finance Director
City Attorney’s Office
Christine Cordon, City Manager