Festival of art and horses

A horse and rider jump a gate during a warm up session at the 2011 Petaluma Art and Equestrian Festival at San Francisco Polo Club Ranch in Petaluma. (BETH SCHLANKER/ The Press Democrat)

This Sunday July 29th from 11am – 4pm, the San Francisco Polo Club is hosting the annual Art & Equestrian Festival.  Combining the love of art and those who appreciate horse performances, the purpose of the event is to raise money to benefit the Rotary Club of Petaluma’s programs that serve youth in Sonoma County and around the world.

The day’s events will include a horse jumping contest, a Western Dressage demonstration, and several other exhibits and demos that showcase the variety in the equestrian world.  Around the grounds will be booths of art, crafts, food, and children’s activities.  Witness a polo match between the San Francisco Polo Club and the Santa Rosa Polo Club, tricks performed by horses in the Gypsy Horse demonstration, and get the chance to ride an Arabian horse (additional fees apply).  The Children’s Museum of Sonoma County will be at the festival with their Museum-on-the-Go, and an art project will have kids come away with artistically painted faces.

Admission to the Art & Equestrian Festival is $20 adults, $10 youth (6-16) and seniors (65+), and FREE to kids under 6.  Buy your tickets in advance and get 5 tickets for the price of 4.

The event will be held at the San Francisco Polo Club located at 7650 Lakeville Hwy, Petaluma.  For more information, visit paefestival.org.

To get a glimpse of what’s in store for this weekend’s festival, Mike Caruana of the Petaluma Rotary Club narrates a video showcasing events from past festivals. He also explains the vital programs locally and around the world that twill benefit from funds raised by the Rotary.