The City of San Diego Parks and Recreation Department presented AquaFest, held concurrently with Clairemont Family Day on Sept. 9, 2023.

Before gates opened at 11 a.m., we welcomed city, county, and state officials and other community VIPs to see the progress of the pool and to give them a preview of the day’s festivities. San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria addressed the pool guards, who came from across the city to assist with the event, telling them thank you for their service. He also reminisced about learning to swim at the Clairemont Swimming Pool when he was a youngster. We also welcomed members of the Simental Family, whose matriarch, Molly Simental, was instrumental in getting the pool built in our community which officially opened in 1979.

More than 400 people attended AquaFest to swim, splash, and play at San Diego’s Largest Family-Friendly Pool Party. AquaFest is a pool activity and is hosted by the City of San Diego Parks and Recreation Department Aquatics Division. Admission was free.

AquaFest was a day of family fun, featuring activities to showcase our Clairemont swim community, improvements made to the pool, and swim safety education activities, including:

• Recreational swimming for families

• An inflatable in-water obstacle course

• Foam party (ideal for ages 2-9)

• Swim safety demonstrations on appropriate life jacket use, rescue techniques, CPR, and first aid

• Parent & Tot swim lesson workshops (ideal for kids ages 6 months to 3 years and their parent(s))

• Appearances by the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department and Falck San Diego

• A simulated emergency response drill, showing an in-water rescue and transfer of care to ambulance personnel

Snacks were available for purchase inside the pool area, with funds raised benefiting the Clairemont Pool and its programs

Aqua Fest @ Clairemont Family Day is presented by The City of San Diego Parks and Recreation Department, with support from these sponsors: South Clairemont Recreation Council, K-Co Construction, Clairemont Pool Booster Club, SDG&E, The Scatena Family, Clairemont Village Shopping Center, Caroline A. Rander, Your Trusted Realtor and Advisor For Life, and Prevent Drowning Foundation of San Diego. Supporters also include The City of San Diego Park & Recreation Department Aquatics Division, San Diego Fire-Rescue Department, Falck San Diego, Scripps, and California Coast Credit Union.