Pirates Storm Fiesta Village

By: Randie Ortloff

Community Writer

Photo Courtesy of:

Randie Ortloff

Photo Description:

Participate Charlie, mascot Boogie, and employee Jay Reese celebrate the momentous occasion.

For the past forty years, Fiesta Village has been a staple in the Colton community. Generation after generation, families have visited the park, enjoying the mini golf course, batting cages, water slides and go karts. Since current owner, Michelle Kapuscinski, purchased the park twelve years ago, the space has made a dramatic comeback. "When I purchased Fiesta it was lacking love and commitment," explains Kapuscinski, "I wanted to make it a safe environment that families would want to visit." Through Kapuscinski's devotion and the hard work of her employees, the park has become more popular than ever. "Our manager is completely responsible for the turnaround," expresses Lynne Bay, an employee with the park for the past eight years. "We are more family friendly and safer than we have ever been, and we appeal to a whole new clientele." Although Kapuscinski has improved the park greatly, she recognizes that her work is never done. Looking towards the next forty years, Kapuscinski dreams of adding an enhanced lazer tag, different rides, more games in the arcade, and offering more events for business gatherings. Jay Reese, a employee who has been with the park for two years, speaks highly of the establishment sharing, "I hope that in the next forty years there will be more parks like Fiesta." For the pirate-themed birthday celebration, goodie bags filled with pirate treasures were given to the first fifty children in attendance. With the help of their parents, the children scoured the mini golf course in search of various treasures. Although this event marked the official birthday party, the actual celebration lasts all year. For those lucky individuals who are celebrating a 40th birthday party this year as well, bring in an ID proving your birthday in order to get a park pass for the year. Fiesta Village has long provided families that are unable to afford vacations a chance to experience the same fun close to home at inexpensive rates. The memories that have been made at the park keeps families coming back, again and again. "Members of the Colton community and the surrounding cities have been coming to the park for their entire lives," says Kapuscinski, "People who have visited the park since they were little now come and experience it with their children and grandchildren. It is great to be apart of this history."