Extra parking opened for tamale fest

If there are more tamales, there will be more people to eat them.

And all those people will need places to park their cars while they chow down on tamales in Saturday's third annual Somerton Tamale Festival.

The event, sponsored by Yuma County members of the Arizona State University Alumni Association, will bring together 40 booths selling a variety of tamales. That's more than in any previous year of the fundraising event that benefits area students wishing to attend the Tempe university.

And owing to an increase in the number of booths, as well as the event's growing popularity, as many as 10,000 people could turn out for the event, said Somerton City Councilman Gerardo Anaya, a member of the alumni association.

Anticipating a jump in attendance, the city of Somerton is setting aside several parking lots surrounding the site of festival, which will take place on Main Street between State and Union avenues from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Among parking areas visitors will be able to use is one behind the Circle K on Main Street and at the lot on Main between Jack in the Box and the Dollar General store, Somerton Police Chief Terry Hollis said.

Main Street is that portion of Highway 95 that passes through the city.

Parking also will be available at lots recently acquired by the city, City Manager Bill Lee added. One is across from Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church on Spring Street, while another is behind the city court building that fronts Main Street.

Signs will be posted to direct motorists to parking, and police officers and members of the police department's Explorers Post will regulate traffic, said Hollis.

Since part of Main will be closed for the event, detours will be in place for those motorists passing through the city.

"Somerton residents are encouraged to walk to the festival, if possible," Anaya said, to minimize congestion downtown.

Alumni association members will operate golf carts as a shuttle service for visitors who have physical difficulty walking between parking and the festival site, Anaya added.

In 2008, the festival drew as many as 8,000, Anaya estimated, and this Saturday "I would say that 10,000 (will come) over the course of the day. The peak hours will be from 11 to 5 (p.m.)."