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The city of Pleasanton’s Library and Recreation Department will be hosting a 15th anniversary celebration for the Alviso Adobe Community Park this weekend.
The free event, which will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday (Oct. 14), will feature a variety of festivities for all ages, including games, crafts and guided hands-on activities that will highlight the rich heritage of the property over the centuries before becoming a public city park in 2008.
According to recreation supervisor Maurice Mestizo, the different activities will not only focus on the three main eras in the park’s history, but will also provide insight into the area’s past — particularly the lives and experiences of the people who once called this region home.
“We’re collaborating with Alfonso Ramirez … for Ohlone storytelling presentations and cultural exhibits, shedding light on the history and significance of the native peoples who settled and cared for this land,” Mestizo said.
“We’ll also offer corn husk doll making and a cattle roping station to give visitors a taste of life during the ‘Rancho Period,'” he added. “Additionally, visitors can interact with Fiona, our resident plexiglass cow, to experience a glimpse of life on the Meadowlark Dairy during the ‘Dairy Period.'”
Other activities will include apple pressing, a mini pumpkin patch, pumpkin decoration and light “carnival-esque” games.
According to a press release from the city, the area in and around the park has a long vast cultural heritage that tells the history of the Amador Valley beginning with the settlement of Indigenous peoples and moving forward to the days of the Spanish ranchos.
Then in the early 20th century, it turned into the 153-acre Meadowlark Dairy before the city acquired the land in the early 1990s and later opened the space for the public to enjoy.
Mestizo said the city usually hosts a “Fall Festival” around this time of the year, but it had decided to instead host the anniversary celebration of the picturesque park because “we felt it was essential to celebrate another milestone at Alviso Adobe Community Park and showcase the beauty of this historic Pleasanton gem.”
He also said that as custodians of the park, city staff felt a sense of responsibility to preserve the cultural heritage of the Amador Valley and of the park.
“This site holds a unique space in California’s history, from its Native American origins and the days of the Spanish Ranchos to its role as the home of the famous Meadowlark Dairy, the first certified dairy in California,” Mestizo said.
City staff are asking residents and community members interested in attending, to register for the event at pleasantonfun.com. Parking will be limited, so the city is recommending people to carpool, bike or find alternative transportation.
