The Breakawave rodeo took over Avila Beach for the first time this weekend. Now that the beach is cleared and the sold out crowd has gone home, Im checking in on how businesses felt about the rodeo moving to this part of the Central Coast.
The sounds of tractors and tear-downs replaced the cheers and music in Avila Beach on Sunday as the Breakawave rodeo left town. The three-day event ended Saturday evening and all that was left Sunday were bleachers waiting to be cleared.
Avila Beach resident Edward Colson said tickets sold out within a few hours, and he was lucky enough to snag one.
[The beach is] all partially clean now,” Colson said. “It’ll be clean in a couple of hours, probably, but anyone who missed it just a heck of a good time and I can’t wait to come back.
Colson said people outside the gates lined the pier and the overpass on either side to get a glimpse at the action.
The town was probably as crowded as I’ve ever seen it, and I expect the businesses might have done quite well as well,” Colson said.
But some businesses near the pier said they didnt see a significant bump in sales. Avila Market owner Andre Gorham said he was told about the rodeo coming into town about a week beforehand.
It was a little underwhelming, to be honest, but it was cool,” Gorham said.
For Gorham, the excitement of having a major event nearby came with a catch.
I think a lot of people that live in San Luis Obispo kind of know, like, okay, if there’s an event in Avila, to stay away versus like inviting people in,” Gorham said.
Sara Elena Loaiza is a resident and local business owner of a bed and breakfast in downtown Avila Beach. She said there is no Avila Beach without tourism.
We’re very appreciative of programs that come into Avila, especially right now when it’s non-peak,” Loaiza said. “The town is very quiet and this gives the local community, Avila Beach, an opportunity to shine during quiet times.
This is the first year the rodeo was in Avila Beach instead of further south near Oceano. Loaiza said she has hopes itll stay in Avila Beach for years to come.
I think that it’s important for the community at large to know that we have the space for something like that here in Avila,” she said.