Country Days Draws a Crowd Downtown

Under the shade of High Street’s pepper trees, hundreds of families on Saturday celebrated old-fashioned values at Moorpark’s Country Days festival.

The scent of barbecued beef drifted in the air. Bales of hay lined downtown sidewalks. And with automobile traffic barred for the day, families strolled, shopped, ate and soaked in the summer-like weather.

“This is a nice weekend for it,” said Glen Hill, a Moorpark resident taking a break from yardwork to hunt for the best barbecue sandwiches. “This is a good time.”

Organized by the Chamber of Commerce, the event included a morning parade that began at Chaparral Middle School and rolled along to High Street, the heart of downtown. In the afternoon, restaurants, shops and street vendors enjoyed brisk business as locals and out-of-towners moved through the shopping district.

A temporary pedestrian mall of outdoor booths took shape, with vendors peddling everything from string ties to toy dolls. For youngsters, there were pony rides and a petting zoo with goats and cows.