Lisa Eppler shows off the prize that Tommy Eppler wins by popping five of eight balloons in a carnival dart game.

RANCHO MURIETA, CA (MPG) - Carnival rides, live music and neighbors catching up with friends filled Stonehouse Park as Summerfest returned to Rancho Murieta Oct. 1-3, with sponsors and volunteers helping turn three days of entertainment into support for community projects.

Despite Saturday’s heat, Summerfest Board President Sherry Carrillo said the event ran smoothly, with families enjoying the carnival, children dancing in front of the stage and adults gathering for games and tournaments.

“Everything went really, really well,” she said.

The Phoenix sends riders soaring at Summerfest. The three-day carnival took place Oct. 1-3 at Stonehouse Park.

Carrillo said attendance was slightly lower than last year.

Carrillo emphasized that the annual celebration depends on more than the people buying wristbands. Sponsors cover most of the event’s costs, she said, making it possible to hold Summerfest while keeping admission prices steady for the past two years.

“Without the sponsors, we would not have Summerfest at all,” she said.

The festivities began Thursday with a sponsors-only wine gala featuring a Yacht Rock Revival theme and music by the Yacht Rockers. Raley’s served as this year’s title sponsor.

Colorful rides light up Stonehouse Park during Summerfest.

In her welcoming remarks, Carrillo reminded sponsors that their support has lasting benefits long after the carnival has left and the music has stopped.

“Every sponsorship, every donation, and every dollar spent here helps us give back to this community,” she said.

Over the years, Summerfest has helped fund pickleball courts, lights at the dog park, baseball field amenities, the splash park, sports fields and scholarships for local students, she said.

“You are investing directly back into our community,” Carrillo told the sponsors.

Summerfest began in 1999 with a chili cook-off and a rock wall, growing into Rancho Murieta’s second-largest community event, surpassed only by the Fourth of July celebration. The nonprofit has raised more than $1 million, including donated services, for educational and recreational projects benefiting Rancho Murieta youth and families.

Fallon Ochoa enjoys her first merry-go-round ride.

Friday’s Family Fun Night brought carnival rides, food trucks and a program that included adult trivia and a character meet-and-greet for children. Adam Aldama & The Aces returned with their Bruno Mars tribute show, drawing praise from Carrillo and providing a soundtrack for youngsters dancing near the stage.

Of the children, “That was the cutest thing ever,” Carrillo said.

The carnival, again provided by Brass Ring, offered attractions for different ages and appetites for thrills. Carrillo said the swings, Ali Baba and Zipper were among the popular rides. Children described Ali Baba, which carried riders up and down, as the scariest, she said.

Carrillo also praised the carnival crew’s responsiveness. The owner stayed in contact throughout the event, and a manager remained on-site around the clock, she said.

Saturday’s schedule included bingo, poker, cornhole and a petting zoo, followed by music from returning DJ Louie Giovanni. Carrillo said the cornhole tournament drew a large gathering, and people were out dancing that night.

Carley Eberle bounces above the carnival grounds on a bungee attraction.

The heat affected attendance when people arrived Saturday, with attendance jumping between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m., Carrillo said. Although organizers had hoped that moving Summerfest to October would bring cooler weather, they still faced a hot afternoon.

“You’re just really at the mercy of Mother Nature,” she said.

Carrillo, who helped serve drinks during bingo, said she had to stop and cool off a few times. She believed the heat also reduced attendance at the petting zoo, which featured animals including baby goats, a pony and a llama.

Rancho Murieta Association maintenance workers put up a tent and fan for the animals and provided running water, she said. Carrillo would like to bring back the petting zoo next year if the weather is cooler.

A giant slide offers children a speedy ride to the bottom.

Behind the attractions were around 100 volunteers who helped set up, serve guests and keep the event running. Members of the Pleasant Grove High School wrestling team and their parents again supplied much of that help. Carrillo said the team considers Summerfest its biggest fundraiser. Kiwanis volunteers pitched in.

Carrillo credited RMA Maintenance Manager Troy Schaffner and his crew with responding quickly whenever organizers needed something changed. Workers received wristbands for their families so they could enjoy the event and see the results of their efforts.

The all-volunteer Summerfest Board works throughout the year, meeting monthly and handling assignments around jobs and family responsibilities. Nearly all its members also work, Carrillo said, and some are raising young children.

In her sponsor-night remarks, Carrillo thanked fellow board members Mike Martel, Makayla Oei, Desiree Harper, Kim Doughty, Chloe Carrillo, Jake Killian, Nona Gunnell, Vanessa Shay and Dawn Klein.

The work, she said, pays off both in what Summerfest contributes to the community and in the enjoyment, it brings to residents of all ages.

As she told sponsors Thursday night: “Ride the rides, listen to the music, eat too much, and enjoy seeing your neighbors and friends.”

The Ali Baba takes riders high above the carnival grounds.