Boys enjoy the Ferris Wheel at YeeHaw Day. Photo: RICH SCHMITT
By HENRY KAMER
Sounds of joy, laughter, and great music filled the air at Brentwood Science Magnet Elementary on Sunday, October 19. It was the 21st annual Palisades Elementary YeeHaw Day. Pali Elementary has been holding school at Brentwood Elementary at Gretna Green Way since the Palisades Fire destroyed the school campus (except for its iconic belltower).
There were carnival rides and carnival days at the annual YeeHaw Day festival.
Photo: RICH SCHMITT
Even though this YeeHaw was different this year because it could not be held at Pali, it still maintained tradition – and was bigger and better than ever. Thousands of kids, parents and community members came by to enjoy all YeeHaw had to offer.
These cowgirls made a debut.
Photo: RICH SCHMITT
Kids and parents alike could enjoy everything from carnival rides (Yes, YeeHaw had a Ferris wheel!) to arts and crafts to performances at the main stage, where LA-native band Fitz and the Tantrums (which is as old as this reporter, both being born in 2008) were the headliners. Other music groups like X Ambassadors and School of Rock in West LA played throughout the day.
This event definitely took a lot of preparation and work, but that didn’t stop event organizer and Pali mom Cali Tendle from persevering “to make the day fun for the whole community.”
“It has taken months to plan this event,” Tendle said. “It’s been a lot easier with a lot of help from many local community organizations and sponsors.”
Luckily, Michelle Bellamy, the stage manager for the day, did not have a hard time securing Fitz and the Tantrums as Jeremy Ruzumna, keyboardist for the band, is a Pali dad, having a daughter in fifth grade.
Ruzumna was joined by two other band members of the five total. Ruzumna shared local roots with one other member present. So, getting the band to come play was more of a special community opportunity rather than a commercial pull. They performed top hits, old and new, from classics like “HandClap” (finale) and “Out of My League” to songs from their 2025 album Man on the Moon.
The slide was a favorite.
Photo: RICH SCHMITT
In addition to the amazing performance by Fitz and the Tantrums, the fifth grade Pali students gave a heartwarming and nostalgic show when they sang the Pali song, even if they aren’t in their normal location. Sure, there may have been some off-key notes and bad synchronization, but the wholesome moment took over the crowd as a resounding “Aww” rose up.
Actress Jennifer Gardner came to support the kids and school.
Photo: RICH SCHMITT
If you wanted to enjoy a beautiful community event, then YeeHaw Day was the place to be. Local food stands and trucks, like the classic Gracias Señor, to Palisades’ shops like PaliSkate, to little carnival games for the kids could be found at the much larger school campus at Brentwood.
Even though the Palisades and the elementary school will be forever changed after the protracted rebuild process, the community still demonstrated its never-faltering strength and resilience.
Everyone dropped their worries to come together and the kids played and ran around without a care in the world (even if that meant running multiple times into this reporter or accidentally hitting him with a toy hammer they had won as a prize.)
Again?
Photo: RICH SCHMITT
Former Pali parent Allison Polhill (left), joined this year’s YeeHaw Day organizer Cali Tendle (right), in recognizing former parent Nancy Fracchiolla for starting this event at Pali 21 years ago.
Photo: RICH SCHMITT
Name mispelled – Cali Tendle