For immediate release
Porterville Chamber’s Iris Festival Comeback Year After Long Hiatus: New Branding, Same Community Focus
Porterville, CA - April 3, 2023
Following a hiatus of three years, the Porterville Chamber is reviving its signature community event. Throughout the pandemic, the Porterville Chamber put the Iris Festival on hold, and in 2023, the beloved event has undergone a major rebranding - it is now known as the Porterville Chamber Spring Festival. While the iris flower has long been a symbol of Porterville and an integral part of the festival's history, the rebranding was necessary to reflect the changes that have taken place in the community. The new name reflects the festival's expanded focus on our local agriculture.
"We wanted to create a festival that further reflected the diversity of our community," said Kristy Martin, CEO of the Porterville Chamber of Commerce. "The new name and branding focus on a celebration of spring and all the things that make our community great." The event’s signature sponsor is Touchstone Pistachio, further highlighting local agricultural products.
More than 90 vendors are currently signed up for the festival. The Porterville Chamber Spring Festival will still feature many of the beloved attractions that have made it a staple of the community for so many years. There will be a car show, kids zone, chili cook-off, food and craft vendors, and live entertainment - something for everyone to enjoy. In addition to these traditional attractions, the festival will also feature a new and exciting event, a local pistachio tasting.
The new branding and expanded focus of the festival have already generated a lot of excitement and enthusiasm within the community. The festival organizers are confident that this year's event will be bigger and better than ever before, and they invite everyone to come out and experience the Porterville Chamber Spring Festival for themselves.
The Spring Festival will take place on April 15, 2023, from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm on Downtown Main St. in Porterville. Admission is free, and everyone is welcome to attend.
For more information about the Porterville Chamber Spring Festival, please visit www.portervillechamber.org/spring-festival or follow the festival on Facebook or Instagram (@PortervilleChamber).
Vendor booths line both sides of Downtown Main St. in Porterville for the 21st Annual Iris Festival.
Attendees visit Wilson’s Transmission & 4x4 as they compete in the April 2019 chili cook-off with their team Wrench Monkey Chili.
Chalk drawings created by the children in attendance at the 21st Annual Iris Festival cover the street in front of the Imagine Community Arts Center booth.
The James Gibson Iris Society booth offers iris plants, iris bulbs and iris-related information during the 21st Annual Iris Festival in Downtown Porterville.