Messenger photos by Dedra Cordle The Greater Hilltop Area Shalom Zone hosted its first annual ‘Celebrate Hilltop’ event on Nov. 5 at Westgate Park. Established by the local non-profit organization’s board to “bring a bit of joy to the community,” the festive gathering had live music, arts and crafts, outdoor activities, resource booths, and an impromptu petting zoo as several residents brought their exotic birds and friendly goats to the party. Shown here are a few scenes captured at the celebration. Above, Jacob Stevens and his son, Nolan, work on their archery skills.Chris the Balloon Guy showcases his penguin creation.‘Wok on the Wild Side’ Chef Levi Bordenet prepares these colorful local vegetables for the stir-fry.Nia Fernandez gives a mighty roar as she transforms into a tiger courtesy of face painting artist MJ with Paint My Fantasy.Sandy Harper and her goat Buckley take a brief rest in the grass. Harper said the 8-month-old Alpine goat loves being outdoors and meeting new people throughout the community. “He’s an emotional support animal and a completely shameless attention seeker,” she said. “He always wants to go to these events so he can get affection and bring out smiles in everyone.”Westside resident Jan Smith gives some affection to her rescue birds Mickey, a 26-year-old Hyacinth macaw, and Jasper, a 7-year-old Citron crested cockatoo, as they display a distaste for the afternoon’s windy conditions.
