Story by Shawn Raymundo; Photo by Keaton Larson and Shawn Raymundo
There was a whole lot of face-melting in Downtown San Clemente this past Sunday, Aug. 14.
It wasn’t just because of the sweltering summer heat in South Orange County though. Rather it was the powerhouse of rock, alternative, country, punk and reggae bands that all rocked the stages along Avenida Del Mar for the return of the Fiesta Music Festival.
Thousands of local residents and visitors turned out to downtown for the San Clemente Chamber of Commerce’s 67th annual event—the first since 2019, following a pandemic-related hiatus.
“It was wonderful to see our community members gather downtown post-pandemic—catching up with friends and neighbors, making memories and ‘just having fun’ in a place that we all love,” Chamber of Commerce CEO Susie Lantz said in an email on Monday, Aug. 15.
Lantz said the Chamber was thankful to the community for supporting this year’s event, which, she also highlighted, included a new Bike Corral to encourage visitors to utilize alternative modes of transportation.
“Thank you to all who participated responsibly,” Lantz said in the email. “The bike corral was a huge success, and we look forward to working alongside the city to creatively support San Clemente’s bicycle boom.”
Grooveswitch, a funk-soul band from Long Beach, performs at the Bottom of Del Mar stage during the San Clemente Fiesta Music Festival on Sunday, Aug. 14. Photo: Keaton Larson 
San Clemente resident and Manager of Capistrano Valley Winery Zach Musselman (right), 30, competes in the Gibroni’s Pizza Eating Contest at the San Clemente Fiesta Music Festival on Sunday, Aug. 14. Photo: Keaton Larson 
Six-year-old Jude Flores of San Clemente get his face painted at the Fiesta Music Festival in Downtown San Clemente on Sunday, Aug. 14. Photo: Shawn Raymundo 
Visiting from San Diego to attend the Fiesta Music Festival in Downtown San Clemente on Sunday, Aug. 14, Frank Andrews, 50, views some of the albums on display at the Power Plant Records booth. Photo: Shawn Raymundo 
The band Color of Sound takes the Bottom Stage during the San Clemente Chamber of Commerce’s Fiesta Music Festival in downtown on Sunday, Aug. 14. Photo: Shawn Raymundo 
Thousands of people visited San Clemente’s downtown corridor along Avenida Del Mar on Sunday, Aug. 14, for the return of the annual Fiesta Music Festival. Photo: Shawn Raymundo 
Reggae-rock band Common Sense performs at the Center of Del Mar stage during the San Clemente Fiesta Music Festival on Sunday, Aug. 14. Photo: Keaton Larson 
Volunteers for the nonprofit Club America serve grilled corn and tamales during the San Clemente Music Festival on Sunday, Aug. 14. Photo: Keaton Larson 
Reggae-rock band Common Sense performs at the Center of Del Mar stage during the San Clemente Fiesta Music Festival on Sunday, Aug. 14. Photo: Keaton Larson 
The band Common Sense performs for the Fiesta Music Festival on the Center Stage of Avenida Del Mar on Sunday, Aug. 14. Photo: Shawn Raymundo 
Volunteering for the Left Coast Brewing tent at the Fiesta Music Festival on Sunday, Aug. 14, Julie Rahmatulia pours a cup of beer for a patron. Photo: Shawn Raymundo 
Eventgoers enjoy the tunes of the punk band 16 Again during the Fiesta Music Festival in Downtown San Clemente on Sunday, Aug. 14. Photo: Shawn Raymundo 
Contestants wait for the start of the Gibroni’s Pizza Eating Contest, the winner of which will take home a Gibroni’s gift card, at the San Clemente Fiesta Music Festival on Sunday, Aug. 14. 
Sharnee Lee Scott, the lead singer of Grooveswitch, points to the crowd during her performance at the San Clemente Fiesta Music Festival on Sunday, Aug. 14. Photo: Keaton Larson 
Brad Magers, bass player for Pounded By The Surf, performs at the Center of Del Mar stage during the San Clemente Fiesta Music Festival on Sunday, Aug. 14. Photo: Keaton Larson 
Contestants compete in the Gibroni’s Pizza Eating Contest held at the Top of Del Mar stage during the San Clemente Fiesta Music Festival on Sunday, Aug. 14. Photo: Keaton Larson 
Terry Gillespie, a member of the local Knights of Columbus chapter, checks on the temperature of the meat for group’s tri-tip sandwiches during the Fiesta Music Festival in Downtown San Clemente on Sunday, Aug. 14. Photo: Shawn Raymundo 
Knights of Columbus member Glen Forhlich tops of a trip-sandwich with some barbecue sauce for Will Greubel, 28, of Newport Beach during the Fiesta Music Festival in Downtown San Clemente on Sunday, Aug. 14. Photo: Shawn Raymundo 
The punk band 16 Again rocks the Center Stage in Downtown San Clemente on Sunday, Aug. 14, when the local Chamber of Commerce held the annual Fiesta Music Festival. Photo: Shawn Raymundo 
Eventgoers enjoy the tunes of Common Sense during the Fiesta Music Festival in Downtown San Clemente on Sunday, Aug. 14. Photo: Shawn Raymundo 
The crowd cheers as reggae-rock band Common Sense finishes performing at the Center of Del Mar stage during the San Clemente Fiesta Music Festival on Sunday, Aug. 14. Photo: Keaton Larson 
A festival goer enjoys the bungee trampoline in the Kids’ Zone during the San Clemente Fiesta Music Festival on Sunday, Aug. 14. Photo: Keaton Larson 
Knights of Columbus volunteers smoke and sell tri-tip sandwiches during the San Clemente Fiesta Music Festival on Sunday, Aug. 14. Photo: Keaton Larson 
Eventgoers dance to some country music by Cinco Hombres during the Fiesta Music Festival in Downtown San Clemente on Sunday, Aug. 14. Photo: Shawn Raymundo 
U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Dominick Richardson shows off a joint light tactical vehicle to the Maxim family of San Clemente during the Fiesta Music Festival in downtown on Sunday, Aug. 14. Photo: Shawn Raymundo 
Mesa Lanes performs at the Top Stage during the San Clemente Chamber of Commerce’s Fiesta Music Festival in downtown on Sunday, Aug. 14. Photo: Shawn Raymundo 
The punk band 16 Again rocks the Center Stage in Downtown San Clemente on Sunday, Aug. 14, when the local Chamber of Commerce held the annual Fiesta Music Festival. Photo: Shawn Raymundo 
Eventgoers rock out to the tunes of Common Sense during the Fiesta Music Festival in Downtown San Clemente on Sunday, Aug. 14. Photo: Shawn Raymundo 
Grooveswitch, a funk-soul band from Long Beach, performs at the Bottom of Del Mar stage during the San Clemente Fiesta Music Festival on Sunday, Aug. 14. Photo: Keaton Larson 
Guitarist Joby J. Ford, of the instrumental band Pounded by the Surf, performs at the Center of Del Mar stage during the San Clemente Fiesta Music Festival on Sunday, Aug. 14. Photo: Keaton Larson 
Nick Dustin, 38, of Aliso Viejo gives a thumbs up after winning the Gibroni’s Pizza Eating Contest at the San Clemente Fiesta Music Festival on Sunday, Aug. 14. Photo: Keaton Larson 
The band Cinco Hombres performs the Fiesta Music Festival’s Top Stage on Avenida Del Mar on Sunday, Aug. 14. Photo: Shawn Raymundo 
Ten-year-old Kyler Green of Mammoth Lakes, California makes it to the top of the rock-climbing wall at Fiesta Music Festival in Downtown San Clemente on Sunday, Aug. 14. Photo: Shawn Raymundo 
Heater Rice, 47, of San Clemente peruses through some records the Power Plant Records booth on Avenida Del Mar on Sunday, Aug. 14, when the San Clemente Chamber of Commerce held its Fiesta Music Festival. Photo: Shawn Raymundo
Throughout the hot summer day, festivalgoers got to enjoy some brews and food, engage in activities and games, and, of course, jam out to live music by nearly two dozen bands that performed on three stages.
“Events such as the Fiesta Music Festival support our hardworking local businesses and nonprofit organizations that make San Clemente a better place for everyone,” Lantz said in the email.
This year’s headlining acts at the Center Stage of Avenida Del Mar included Swami John Reis, Pounded by the Surf and Common Sense, along with Tunnel Vision, which closed out the festivities.
Left Coast Brewing supplied the day’s beer offering while various nonprofit organizations served up eats such as tri-tip sandwiches, tacos and burritos, and Italian sausages. Some hungry individuals also competed in a pizza eating contest that Gibroni’s Pizza hosted.
“While continuing to deliver terrific live music performances,” Lantz wrote, “we look forward to further developing the family-friendly aspects of the event.”
Shawn Raymundo
Shawn Raymundo is the managing editor for Picket Fence Media. He graduated from Arizona State University with a bachelor’s degree in Global Studies. Before joining Picket Fence Media, he worked as the government accountability reporter for the Pacific Daily News in the U.S. territory of Guam. Follow him on Twitter @ShawnzyTsunami and follow San Clemente Times @SCTimesNews.
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