A pair of ducks makes ripples across Lake Evans at Fairmount Park, sending the reflections of towering palms into a wavy dance. (Rachel Williams) Have a photo that captures the spirit of Riverside? Share it with us and help celebrate the beauty of our community!
Tuesday Gazette: March 31, 2026
Hello Riverside, and Happy Tuesday! Today is National Farm Workers Day, and it's worth taking a real moment with it.
The people who grow, harvest, and tend the food we eat do some of the most physically demanding work around. Long hours in extreme heat, repetitive labor that takes a toll on the body over time, and work that doesn't always come with the recognition it deserves. And yet the farms keep running and the food keeps showing up because farm workers show up, day after day.
Today is a good day to hold a little extra gratitude for the people who make it possible, whether that means stopping by a local farmers market, choosing farm-fresh produce with a bit more intention, or simply thinking about the hands behind your food.
Riverside Tamale Festival Returns April 18 to Celebrate Adobe's Historic Designation
This year's "Todos Juntos" theme marks the first festival since the Trujillo Adobe was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
A vendor at The Original Tamale Co. booth serves tamales from large steaming pots at the Tamale Festival. (Courtesy of Spanish Town Heritage Foundation)
The Riverside Tamale Festival returns to White Park on April 18 — the first since the Trujillo Adobe landed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Why it matters: The designation brings permanent federal preservation protections to one of Riverside's oldest standing structures. The festival is also the Spanish Town Heritage Foundation's primary fundraiser, with a $50,000 goal this year.
Driving the news: The Trujillo Adobe — a mud-brick building dating to 1862, tracing its roots to the 1842 settlement of La Placita — received unanimous approval for the National Register last May.
Recognition will be given from the festival stage to RivCoParks and community members who supported the nomination.
By the numbers: The Adobe has received $10.4 million in state funding for preservation and development of a cultural and educational center. This year's fundraising goal: $50,000 for educational panels at the future park.
What's happening: The festival runs 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and includes 20+ food vendors, a kids zone, beer garden, retail booths, a VIP lounge with a Best Tamale competition, folklórico dancers, mariachi, and lucha libre wrestling.
Headlining: Los Angeles band Ozomatli, celebrating their 30th anniversary in 2025.
What's next: Tickets are available at rivtamalefest.com. White Park, 3885 Market St. The future park is expected to open in late 2028, when the festival will move on-site.
Residents Invited to Weigh in on Fairmount Park Parking and Traffic Plans Today
The meeting is the latest in the Fairmount Forward series, which is shaping a long-term master plan for the city's most visited park.
The fountain and rose plantings at the Rose Garden in Fairmount Park, where Tuesday's community meeting will be held. (Courtesy of City of Riverside Parks, Recreation and Community Services/Facebook)
Riverside residents get one hour Today to weigh in on a proposal to more than double Fairmount Park's parking capacity.
Why it matters: If you use the park — especially for Bandshell events — parking and access have been chronic frustrations. This is a rare public input window before circulation plans advance.
Driving the news: The city is hosting a community session Tuesday, 4:30–5:30 p.m. at the Rose Garden, 2981 Dexter Dr., as part of the Fairmount Forward master planning series.
By the numbers: The master plan proposes expanding parking from roughly 210 spaces to approximately 540 — through restriping, new surface lots, and a two-level parking deck south of the tennis courts.
The backstory: The Fairmount Forward series launched in June 2025. The resulting master plan was presented to the Cultural Heritage Board earlier this year and covers the Bandshell, golf course, and pedestrian access.
What's next: Tuesday's session is your chance to respond to traffic and circulation concepts before plans move forward. Show up at the Rose Garden by 4:30 p.m.
UCR will host a Chancellor's Distinguished Lecture on April 15 with Esri founder Jack Dangermond, celebrating a 50-year partnership between the Redlands GIS giant and the university — with roughly 190 UCR alumni now working at Esri.
RCC's Tiger Backers Golf Classic sold out at the Victoria Club with a full field of 124 golfers raising funds for Tigers student-athletes' equipment, travel, and scholarships.
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