Summary of Special Events
Event Month Host Departments
Involved
Estimated
City Costs for
23/24
Battle of the Badges January Police/Fire PD $500
Point In Time Count January Parks and
Recreation
PD, PRCS $7,000
The State of Women Event March Mayor/City Clerk MF, CC, PD, PRCS
$19,500
Coffee with a Cop Police PD $1,050
Passport Day in Rialto March City Clerk CC, CS, PD $9,400 Spring Eggstravaganza April Recreation MF, PRCS,
PD, FD
$42,360
Drowning Prevention /
Safety Fair
April Recreation/Kiwanis PRCS, PD, FD $5,678
Earth Day April Maintenance &
Facilities
MF $10,000
Walk Like MADD San
Bernardino County
May City Clerk CC, PRCS,
PD, FD
$16,300
Bike Safety Event May City Clerk/Healthy
Rialto
MF, PRCS,
PD, CC
$14,775
Earth to Table April Mayor, City Clerk CM, CC, PRCS $9,500 Memorial Day Tribute May City Clerk PW, PD, CC $18,000 Summer Series May–August Recreation PRCS, MF,
PD, FD
$20,300
Men’s Health Fair June City Clerk CC, PD, FD $5,500
Run Whatcha Brung June Rotary MF, PRCS,
PD, FD
$16,525
Juneteenth Celebration of
Culture
June PRCSD PRCS, MF,
PD, FD
$15,000
4th of July July Recreation MF, PRCS,
PD, FD
$99,870
Farmers Market Birthday July City Clerk CC $500
National Night Out August Police MF, PRCS,
PD, FD, CC
$30,465
9/11 Memorial September Police PD $3,735
Viva La Fiesta September Recreation PRCS, MF,
PD, FD
$39,550
Pet-a-Palooza and Pollution
Prevention Fair
September City Clerk/Human
Relations
Commission
MF, PRCS,
PD, CC, FD
$24,350
Fire Open House Fire PRCS, PD, FD $2,900
Run Around the Rocks October Mayor/CEMEX PRCS $1,900 Halloween Hi-Jinks October Recreation MF, PRCS,
PD, FD
$50,200
Summary of Special Events
Pepper Avenue Clean up November Maintenance &
Facilities
MF $4,300
Sports Hall of Fame November Recreation PRCS $11,600 Rialto Heritage Days November RHS, PRCSD, FD MF, PRCS, CC PD, FD
$12,900
Turkey Giveaway November City Clerk CC $0
Toy Giveaway December City Clerk CC $0
Las Colinas Toy Drive December Fire FD $3,105
Rialto Holiday Festival &
Parade
December Recreation MF, PRCS,
PD, FD
$136,180
Pet Clinic Police PD $3,000
Estimated
Total
$ 635,943
**(Members of the Fire Department participate during their off-duty time or while on- duty. However, when on-duty they remain available to respond to any Fire Department service call. The cost to the City is nominal).
The table above provides a financial breakdown of each event. The cost includes staff costs from the various departments involved. Below are the event descriptions in detail.
Certified Farmers’ Market Birthday this is an annual event held in July in celebration of the success of a weekly Farmers’ Market held every Wednesday in our community. City residents and surrounding communities benefit from fresh and healthy farmer-direct produce and other foods. Nutrition resourc es, classes and farmer bucks are offered throughout the year.
Coffee with a Cop is a monthly meeting that creates a forum for officers to connect with members of the community and form collaborations to address concerns and resolve problems in their neighborhoods.
Battle of the Badges is the annual blood drive that features the Rialto Police and Fire Department in a friendly competition aimed at inspiring the community to donate blood. This annual event brings attention and assistance to the American Red Cross to spread the word on the need for blood in emergency r ooms and surgical centers that tend to run short of blood during and after the holidays.
Point in Time Count is a count of sheltered and unsheltered homeless persons on a single night during the last week of January. Department of Housing and Urban Devel opment (HUD) requires communities receiving federal funds to conduct an annual count of homeless persons who are sheltered in emergency shelter, transitional housing, and Safe Havens on a single night . Point-in-Time counts are important as they establish the dimensions of the problem of Summary of Special Events
homelessness and help policymakers and program administrators track progress toward the goal of ending homelessness.
The State of Women Event this event celebrates Women’s History Month with a conference that recognizes women for their public service and leadership. Women interact with one another in support of women’s causes, discussing women’s issues, and their impact. The aim of the event is to bring to light work being done on behalf of women, while highlighting support of women and their commitment and work in the community.
Passport Day in Rialto is part of a national effort established to make applying or renewing passports a little simpler. On this day, U.S. citizens can for ego the required appointment and simply stop by the Rialto City Clerk’s office to apply or renew their passport. Convenient Saturday hours ensure most parents do not have to miss work to apply for their child's U.S. passport.
Spring Eggstravaganza is held in partnership with the Rialto Branch Library. The event includes free spring crafts, an egg hunt, games, and giveaways. This event has no religious significance; it provides an opportunity for Rialto families to celebrate the coming of spring as a community.
Drowning Prevention/Safety Fair takes place at the Tom Sawyer Swimming pool as an annual, public education and drowning prevention initiative. The goal of the program is to educate the public on safety at home, as well as reducing the number of water-related fatalities and near drowning incidents through the promotion of key water safety messages. Included as a part of the event is a car seat safety check and vendors providing safety information.
Earth Day is an annual event that provides public outreach to assist in community clean-up. The event provides an opportunity to increase public awareness of environmental issues and the various impacts and efforts being spearheaded by and on behalf of the City of Rialto.
Earth to Table is held in the City Hall Parking lot alongside the Farmer’s Market, allowing Rialto Unified School District elementary and middle students to learn about the planet’s environment, local government, and community service. The students and community learn how the earth provides the many things we eat, the water we drink along with the minerals and stones used to make household objects; the events explore rocks, soil and the benefits of planting trees, as students also engage their altruistic sides by packing boxes to feed the less fortunate.
Summary of Special Events
Walk Like MADD San Bernardino County is a 5K Run/Walk a part of a larg er effort toward bringing community awareness to the dangers and consequences of driving while under the influences of drinking, drugs, and other substances. The event is a co-sponsored event promoting health and safety in the City of Rialto.
Men’s Health Fair is held on the third Wednesday in June. This event is to remind men to make their health a priority through regular health check s, dental checks, exercise, and healthy eating. There is an evening session with speakers regarding Men’s Health Awareness.
Memorial Day Tribute is held at the Rialto Park Cemetery and commemorates those who died in active military service. Traditionally observed on May 30th, but now officially observed on the last Monday in May.
Summer Series is designed to keep children and their families entertained in an affordable and safe environment during the summer months while school is out.
There are combo movies/concert series, as well as other events in the parks with a variety of activities, like “Bark in the Park”, “Sounds of Rialto” and Pool Activities covering May through August.
Run Whatcha Brung is a co-sponsored event with the Rialto Rotary, offered as a “Route 66 Cruise Night Show and Shine”. The event features a car show, music, and a cruise along Route 66 and Downtown Rialto and serves as a valuable community-building activity.
4th of July is the City of Rialto’s celebration of America’s Independence Day. This event provides an opportunity for families to participate in fun activities during the day and fireworks at night. This event provides families with a safe environment to enjoy fireworks without the dangers that accompany setting them off themselves.
National Night Out is a nationwide event that brings awareness to community policing. This program promotes Neighborhood Watch groups coming together one night a year with police, fire, the school district, and City officials, to celebrate the concerted effort in fighting crime throughout the year. This event is considered an annual community building campaign that promotes police and community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make our neighborhoods safer, and better places to live.
Bike Safety Event is an event designed for children and teens. A bike safety class is offered along with helmet checks, games, raffles, refreshments, and a bike ride.
The goal is to provide an opportunity for the community participants to learn, practice, and demonstrate b icycle safety and handling skills in a fun, noncompetitive atmosphere. The City takes this opportunity to exercise community-wide health and fitness initiatives, in addition to promoting the Summary of Special Events
importance of alternative modes of transportation. Due to extreme weather conditions, this event has been moved from August to May.
Pet-a-Palooza and Pollution Prevention Fair is hosted by Healthy Rialto in an effort to continue to educate and celebrate responsible pet owners in our community and the health benefits of walking and being outdoors with your pet.
The Annual Pollution Prevention Fair provides an opportunity for Rialto families and residents to seek onsite resources available through interaction with national, state, local and City representatives, business es, and others that affect the lives of those living in and around Rialto.
Fire Department Open House this event provides useful information on how to prevent and survive a fire, with a secondary goal of offering an opportunity to showcase the Rialto fir e station(s) and its personnel to the community at large.
The participants can take home educational materials on how they as residents can stay safe in their own homes. Visitors to the event learn positive fire safety actions and important safety messages . The event includes interactive activities for kids, vendors, bounce houses, demonstrations, and a Pancake Breakfast to support Explorer Post 299.
Run Around the Rocks is a 5K & 10 K Run/Walk which takes place along the Cemex Lytle Creek Aggregate Quarry. The 5K & 10K Run/Walk is an effort to promote the benefits of healthy living among our citizens and school age population. It is also an opportunity for the community to see and learn information about the active mining which takes place on the sit e of the quarry which is over 100 feet deep. The community members participating in the race get an up-close look at the big equipment that is used to mine the sand and gravel that becomes the roads, bridges, sidewalks, and buildings that we use every day.
Halloween Hi-Jinks is an event for Rialto families who would like to participate in Halloween activities. This event provides a safe alternative to traditional “trick -o- treating.” The event provides for a well -lit family nighttime festival. From to ts to teens, the event offers a family friendly environment. The surroundings are filled with food vendors, bounce houses, games, people, picture taking, costumes, decoration, fun, giveaways, and lots of candy.
Pepper Avenue Clean Up is a street clean-up on Pepper Avenue from Highland Avenue to Valley Blvd. The Cities of Rialto, Colton, and San Bernardino provide help with litter pick-up, weed abatement, homeless outreach, and graffiti removal along the route.
Sports Hall of Fame is a dynamic recognition ceremony that honors athletes that have brought honor and fame to the City of Rialto. The Athletes recognized range from individuals to championship teams.
Summary of Special Events
Las Colinas Toy Drive is an annual event assisted by the Fire Department for the distribution of toys donated by the public to children in need in the north area of the City. This program benefits children in the community whose parents otherwise cannot afford to provide them with toys to keep them active and engaged. The program also allows oppo rtunities for members of the community to meet members of the City’s Fire Department in a non-emergency, positive environment and understand the important services they provide to the City.
Rialto Holiday Festival and Parade is the City’s kick off to the holiday season.
The event features a traditional hometown parade highlighting almost every aspect of life in the City of Rialto, followed by the annual tree lighting ceremony. This year the event will provide the community with a 60-ton snow hill with 4 toboggan lanes for kids and their families to enjoy during the event. The event provides a showcase of Rialto schools, bands and drill teams, elected officials, dance teams, businesses, sports teams, service organizations and others. Following the parade, participants and spectators are invited to attend Vendor Lane which is filled with musical performances, food vendors, exhibits, and a variety of activities.
Viva La Fiesta is a celebration of Hispanic Heritage month in collaboration with other organizations to provide the community with authentic Hispanic and Latinx foods, music, dance, art, and resources available to the community. Food tasting competitions will be encouraged, along with var ious Folklorico dance exhibitions, art displays from local and other artists.
Rialto Heritage Days a new event being requested in collaboration with the Rialto Historical Society. This event will celebrate Rialto’s rich history, through various story telling throughout the event with current City historians. Stories about our historic orange Groves, our historical buildings and the families who owned them, significant community figures who have facilities and parks named after them and more. The event will provide an array of opportunities for residents to learn about the historical buildings via walking and bus tours. Participants will get to learn about those Rialto figures that helped pave the way for our city. The event will collaborate with Parks, Recreation & Community Services, Fire Department, Rialto Unified School District, and many other non-profit groups to bring a rich experience to those who attend . The event will celebrate our City’s first fire trucks 100th birthday and will be available to be viewed along with several other antique fire trucks from surrounding cities. There will be a variety of performances from groups within the city from the school district, local groups, non -profits, and our Parks, Recreation & Community Services Programs. This event will serve to remind our residents where we have come from, where we are, and where we are going.
Juneteenth Celebration of Culture is a new event that will feature a rich tapestry of activities, performances, and educational opportunities. Throughout the day, attendees can experience a variety of captivating live performances, including soulful musical acts, inspiring spoken word poetry, and mesmerizing dance routines that highlight African American culture and heritage.