Teen Nostalgia — a Lifetime of First Wednesday Street Fairs

On Wednesday, I felt like a little kid again.

I arrived in downtown Pleasanton in the early evening, got a bite to eat, met up with friends, and then returned home with a smile on my face, a shiny red balloon, and a bag of free pens, pins, and stickers.

I learned that no matter how much time passes by, I am still a sucker for downtown Pleasanton’s First Wednesday Street Parties.

I’ve lived in Pleasanton since I was five years old, and now that I’m seventeen, I notice constant reminders of my early childhood. As a small town, Pleasanton offers that luxury with recurring events and subtle details that never change, like downtown parades, the up-and-running, Amador-Foothill football games, regular trips to the … it makes teenagers either love or hate Pleasanton. But to me, it’s home. And these festivals sum up that entire Pleasanton atmosphere that I adore.

At the street fair yesterday, I recalled my nostalgia once more — within five minutes of walking down Main Street, I had seen at least ten classmates.

My friend who had never gone to the street fair before commented that the evening felt like a movie-esque summer night. And she was right! Everyone was in a good mood, food was available everywhere, and the general attitude was relaxed.

To me, it was mostly a reminder that no matter what, a true Pleasantonian is always connected to Pleasanton in some shape or form.

Despite publicly denying it, teenagers can’t resist the personalized hometown loving Pleasanton offers. It’s the reason Pleasanton continues to thrive: young people continue to return because of its everlasting friendliness that welcomes us back.

I will admit that, as a senior, I look forward to leaving home for an entire school year and starting fresh somewhere else in 2012. However, I predict I’ll always relish returning home to Pleasanton.