MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- Thousands gathered at Camp Pendleton’s Stuart Mesa Community Center for the 4th Annual Spring Fling Festival, April 4.
The festival, sponsored by Marine Corps Community Services, provided live entertainment, music and food for military families to bring in the spring season.
“It’s a pleasure for us to host events like this for the communities,” Regina Hunter, Stuart Mesa’s recreations specialist and coordinator of the event.
Although advertisements were placed in the community only three days prior to the festival, Hunter said the event still attracted approximately 2,500 more attendees than originally expected.
“We had a great turnout this year,” said Hunter. “We hardly even advertised so it goes to show how social networking can really get the word out.”
The event, which catered to all ages, offered activities such as face painting, Easter-egg hunting, balloon animals, a caricature artist, an inflatable sports center and a video-game trailer.
“It’s a valuable opportunity to spend with your family,’’ said Staff Sgt. Michael Jarot, the operations chief with Training Support Division. This was shown to be true as Jarot cheered on his son during a dance performance.
The three-hour affair hosted a dance recital titled “In a Daze” by Stuart Mesa’s dance program, which caters to toddlers through teenagers.
“The variety of sponsors that helped fund this event are really what made this event possible,” said Hunter. “It’s a great way to bring the families together.”