For most people, a visit from law enforcement usually happens on one of the worst days of their lives. On Saturday, Sept. 19, locals will get to interact with these organizations for a more festive reason.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of Sheriff’s Family Day, a free event that has grown from a small gathering into a massive community event, drawing thousands to interact with local law enforcement in a fun, family-friendly environment.
“Most of the time when the sheriff shows up or the police show up, it’s usually because something bad has happened,” said Jeff Nichols, chairman of the Sheriff’s Advisory Foundation nonprofit and a retired sheriff’s sergeant. “It’s a great opportunity to have us be able to interact with the public in a positive venue. We’re all people, too. We all have kids, we all have wives, and it’s just a great venue for that.”
The event, which saw approximately 2,500 spectators last year, according to Nichols, showcases a wide variety of public safety professionals serving the Central Coast. Attendees can expect demonstrations from Cal Fire using the Jaws of Life, detonations from the county Bomb Task Force, as well as helicopters from the California Highway Patrol and local medical units landing on-site.
“Every year it just gets better,” Nichols said. “We see a lot of repeat families and a lot of children that attend very young and are still attending as they’re older.”
Nichols said the biggest highlight of the day is the bicycle giveaway, where bikes donated by the community and refurbished by Sheriff’s Honor Farm inmates are raffled off to children. Every child 12 years old and younger also receives a free T-shirt, and the foundation provides free hot dogs for all attendees.
A dedicated team of volunteers and board members handles the logistics of hosting nearly 50 different agency booths, ranging from the Sheriff’s Posse mounted patrol to the Red Cross.
Students from Grizzly Youth Academy, a program for at-risk youth run by the California National Guard, play a vital role, wearing their uniforms while managing parking and guest assistance.
“Public safety is really a calling,” Nichols said. “I think everybody gets in from a point of view that they want to help the community and help keep the community safe. So all of our agencies are promoting themselves as a possible career choice to some of the younger children that are interested in it.”
Nichols recalled a recent participant with Scouting America’s Sea Scouts program, who first discovered the organization while attending Family Day as a child a decade ago.
“It really had come full circle,” Nichols said. “It was a great testament to the positive impact in the community that this event has.”
While the event is free to the public, it is fully funded by the Sheriff’s Advisory Foundation, which raises money to bridge the gap between law enforcement budgets and actual equipment or training needs.
Funding for Family Day and other regional projects comes from consistent sponsorships and the foundation’s annual golf tournament each fall.
Sheriff’s Family Day will take place on Sept. 19 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Madonna Meadows at the Madonna Inn. The Sheriff’s Advisory Foundation’s annual golf fundraiser is Oct. 3 at Cypress Ridge Golf Course in Arroyo Grande. Visit safslo.org to learn more about both events.
Fast fact
• Hanna Higuera, a Creston native and 2021 Atascadero High School graduate, is currently serving as an aviation structural mechanic aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt. As a petty officer 3rd class, Higuera is participating in RIMPAC 2026, the world’s largest international maritime warfare exercise held in and around the Hawaiian Islands. Inspired by her grandfather’s military service, Higuera joined the Navy three years ago and said her upbringing in Creston prepared her for the hard work and discipline required to succeed in a career at sea, according to the Navy Office of Community Outreach. ∆
Reach Intern Sam Fickett at intern@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in 40th anniversary edition.
