The entire Chula Vista Bayfront hosts a Community Celebration — Exploring the History of Transportation: Past, Present & Future.
Visit website at cvharbordays.com

On Saturday, September 24 and Sunday, September 25, Chula Vistans will pull together as a community to commemorate its 100 year history through a volunteer-powered event open to the public showcasing the Chula Vista Bayfront. This free event is part of the year-long Centennial Celebrations.

In collaboration with the San Diego Unified Port District, the Big Bay, the Maritime Museum of San Diego, Chefs de Cuisine Association, and Arts Month Chula Vista, this free event will span from the southern “J” Street Bayfront Park, along Marina Parkway waterfront to the northern Bayview park bringing a fun-filled weekend to the community.

The City of Chula Vista will celebrate its Centennial on Saturday, October 15, 2011. This citywide festival is admission free and is a special opportunity for local vendors to be involved. From food and drink - to arts and crafts - and everything in between, this event will host over 50 vendors featuring something unique and different for everyone.  Vendor spaces are filling up fast. Act now to secure your booth space and help Chula Vista celebrate 100 years of history. Interested vendors please contact McFarlane Promotions at 619.233.5008 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

This historic party will be set on the scenic campus of the United States Olympic Training Center, Chula Vista (OTC). Organizers encourage the public to visit www.ChulaVista100.com and “Like” the Centennial Facebook page to receive the latest updates.

Residents and visitors, families and friends are invited to city’s 100th Anniversary

The City of Chula Vista, in partnership with the United States Olympic Training Center, Chula Vista (OTC), announces the city’s Centennial Celebration will be hosted on the scenic OTC campus on Saturday, October 15, 2011. Admission to the event, commemorating Chula Vista’s 100th anniversary, is free and open to the public. Residents and visitors are encouraged to check out ChulaVista100.com and “friend” the Centennial Facebook page to receive the latest updates.

Originally known as the Lemon Capital of the World for the city’s origins in citriculture, a touch of history and a twist of lemon are the ideal ingredients for the Chula Vista Centennial Celebration. The Centennial Celebration will pay tribute to the city’s roots by featuring a Lemon Zest Tasting where attendees will savor zesty dishes and desserts from local restaurants, wineries and breweries as they serve up samplings that include one key component – lemon.

Chula Vista’s Centennial Celebration would not be complete without music and live entertainment. Attendees will enjoy a variety of artists and music on two stages and cool off in the Craft Brew & Cocktail Garden.

Families and friends can also look forward to a 2012 London Summer Olympic preview, a historic car show and the chance to wander along the Olympic Trail to learn about Chula Vista’s history of the city, while shopping for unique keepsakes from arts and crafts vendors. More details will be announced as the citywide celebration gets closer.

This week’s 100 centennial seconds is about the 60s. The decade began with President Eisenhower visiting Chula Vista making his entrance by marine helicopter to a crowd of 25,000 people made up of Chula Vistans, dignitaries from Tijuana, and Inter-American Congress delegates. Schools were closed for the day and the bands from Chula Vista and Hilltop High Schools, the only high schools in Chula Vista, joined to play the national anthem for the ceremony.

The South Bay Power Plant opened in the 60s, and no longer operates today. City Council met, Congressional Towers opened as did the short-lived Shangri-La on G Street.

Coffee table-style book on sale at www.ChulaVista100.com
Centennial Celebration set for Saturday, October 15, 2011 at U.S. Olympic Training Center

Commemorating the City of Chula Vista’s 100th birthday in October 2011, the coffee-table style history book titled Chula Vista Centennial: A Century of People and Progress is now available for purchase through the official Chula Vista Centennial website www.ChulaVista100.com, or can be picked up at the Centennial Office located inside City Hall at 276 Fourth Ave, 91910 Monday through Thursday, 10 am – 2 pm.

Written by acclaimed historian, retired University of San Diego history professor and Chula Vista resident Steven Schoenherr, the book illustrates the first one hundred years of Chula Vista’s history, which began as a small agricultural town known as the “Lemon Capital of the World” and grew into the seventh fastest growing city in the United States.

“It was an honor to write and give this work as a gift to my community,” said Professor Schoenherr who volunteered his time to research and write the book. “Chula Vista is a wonderful place to live. I hope residents enjoy reading and sharing this keepsake of stories from Chula Vista’s first 100 years.”

The 1950’s were an exciting time of transition and development: Chula Vista had doubled in size following 63 annexations. New houses grew alongside lemon orchards.  One lemon orchard was sold to become the new City Hall.

Third Avenue in the 50s was finally complete. The last remaining lot became a Bank of America. The center of downtown was located on the corner of Third Avenue and F Street, marked to this day by a clock tower outside Security Trust and Savings Bank.