Jamboree Days: ‘Crestline Vibes-2025’

By RHEA-FRANCES TETLEY

Staff Writer

This year’s Jamboree Days “Crestline Vibes-2025” is so big it is spread over two weekends, beginning on June 29, to allow everyone the opportunity to be involved and to join in the fun.

Jamboree Days begins this year with a big Sunday of excitement during the Community Picnic in the park on the San Moritz Meadow. The afternoon will be filled with old-fashioned fun, like last year, with relay races in gunny sacks, three-legged races and bounce houses, watermelon and pie eating contests, and more fun for adults such as corn hole, facepainting and balloons for the kids. Bring your own picnic basket of food or buy something from a food truck.

Nonprofit groups that would like to host a booth of arcade games for the kids are invited to participate; call the chamber office at (909) 338-2706 and discover how easy it is to get your message out at the picnic. Even the parking is free that day at the San Moritz parking lot.

This year’s parade grand marshals will be Richard and Elizabeth Krumweide from the award-winning Sycamore Ranch Vinyard and Winery, located in Dart Canyon. They have brought much attention and pride to this small mountain community through their multiple years of award-winning wines, which are crafted locally, and their ciders, which are made from apples from their century-old apple orchards, planted by early Crestline pioneer homesteaders.
The afternoon will begin at noon on the San Moritz Meadow on the east end of Lake Gregory. There will be food trucks and the Grand Poohbah will be hatted at about 1 p.m.The Duck Derby is scheduled for 5 p.m. Come see the ducks swim to shore. First one to reach the shore will win $1,000 for its adopter, while second place wins $500 and third place winner receives $250, with the “lame duck” (the one that gets lost in the lake) earning its adopter $100. Adopt a duck for $5 or adopt a whole family of five for $20. Tickets will soon be on sale at local Chamber of Commerce member businesses all over Crestline.

The next Saturday, July 5, will be the Jamboree Days parade at 10 a.m. Sign-ups are already underway at www.Jamboreedays.com for those who want their vehicles or group to be in the parade. Parade entry deadline is June 27; include a description of your entry when you sign up. Everyone should be in a parade at least once in their life, as it is a totally different perspective, being on the inside and waving at your friends.

The parade begins in Top Town, goes east along Crest Forest Drive to Fern, then North on Fern to Lake Drive and through Lake Gregory Village to Lake Gregory itself, where it disbands. Along the parade route will be announcers describing the parade floats and marching units.

All day, after the parade, there is so much to do. The vendors and merchants along Lake Drive in the Lake Gregory Village area will be welcoming guests and the kid’s fun zone will be in front of Rim Bowling Lanes. There will be fishing and boating at the lake and water play on the beach until 5 p.m. Restaurants and food vendors plus live music all over town, and the beer garden in the Arrowhead Credit Union parking lot will welcome adults with more music all day long.

Around 6 p.m. or so, the north and south shore beaches at the lake will open up for free entry with your beach chairs and towels to find the perfect spot on the sand for the 9 p.m. fireworks. The snack bar will be open for burgers and snacks. Parking fees to the county will be required for the fireworks show, but remember there is street parking as well; just park outside the white lines and don’t impede the firetrucks that need to be able to drive the streets for everyone’s safety that evening. Lake Gregory Drive will not be closed for the fireworks show for that safety reason this year.

Sunday is lake day at Lake Gregory Regional Park. Arrive early as there is a limited room on the beach – $15 for lake entry and another $15 for those who want to play on the waterslides, inflatable waterpark, etc. Plus, there is fishing, kayaking, Duffy boat rides, stand-up boards and so much more to do, plus the zero-level water park, sandcastle building and walking around the lake or using the exercise stations. Parking in the Regional Park’s parking lots is $2 for the first hour and $1 an hour for each additional hour, for a maximum of $10 for entire day. Pay through your cellphones at the parking lot www.lakegregory.com after you park.

The Crestline Chamber of Commerce, which puts on Jamboree Days, and the Lake Gregory Company rely on private donations to help keep this magical fireworks show and event free to the public each year, so take home all the litter you bring and keep our community charming. Enjoy “Crestline Vibes-2025!”