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Council approves Port of Hueneme permit for 12th annual Banana Festival with 10,000-attendee plan and noise, traffic controls
Summary
The City Council unanimously approved a special use permit for the Port of Hueneme's 12th annual Banana Festival on Sept. 27, 2025, finding the event exempt from CEQA and approving traffic, ADA and security measures proposed by organizers and the port.
The Port of Hueneme's twelfth annual Banana Festival received unanimous approval from the Port Hueneme City Council on Sept. 2, with the special use permit finding the event exempt from California Environmental Quality Act review. The festival is scheduled for Sept. 27, 2025, and organizers estimate about 10,000 attendees for the day.
City staff and the port presented the event plan, which includes a vintage car show (about 130 cars), more than 70 food and retail vendors, children's activities, live entertainment on a main stage, alcohol-service booths, mechanical and industrial exhibits, land and boat tours, and a community art program. Planner Jose Coyotol noted a small change from prior years: a DJ will provide music for the car-show promenade this year.
Traffic and public-safety controls were described in detail. Market Street and Surfside Drive will have timed closures beginning early the morning of the event; a dedicated rideshare pickup/drop-off will be established at 105 East Port Hueneme Road; directional signage will guide attendees to multiple free parking areas including beach lots; and a free ADA-compliant shuttle will operate from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Police staffing, police explorers and uniformed guards will be assigned to key crossings and festival patrols, and sound levels will be monitored with coordination between organizers and the police department.
Festival director Randy Latimer told the council the event is intentionally kept small and community focused and that organizers will provide a direct phone number for residents to report problems during the festival. "Keeping the least impact on the surrounding community is really our biggest thing," Latimer said. Council members asked about accessibility and were told that additional ADA parking spaces were designated and an ADA shuttle and drop-off point near the VIP entrance would be provided to allow attendees with mobility constraints to access the site without multiple transfers.
The council adopted the resolution to conditionally approve the special use permit and to find the project exempt from CEQA. The permit includes conditions addressing traffic mitigation, sound monitoring, safety staffing and parking operations. The resolution passed by unanimous roll-call vote.
