Humboldt County gives Sara Bareilles a Warm Welcome Home

According to the Eureka Police Dept. at least 15,000 people gathered at Halvorsen park Sunday afternoon to welcome Sara Bareilles back home. The gates to the park opened at one o’clock. Music started around Some arrived hours before the show to save a good seat. 

Blue Lake resident, mother, and huge Sara Bareilles fan, Laurie Lynch enjoyed the concert with her husband and daughter. 

“My husband stood in line here at about ten and we got here at 11,” Lynch said. “It’s really nice to be a local, hearing a local who’s made it big.”

Another devoted fan of Bareilles, Kira Parker, arrived in line around 8:30 a.m., making her one of the very first to be there. 

“I want to be up front, I want to smell Sarah Bareilles,” Parker said. “I think it’s really cool that she’s giving back to the community.” 

Local artists Mario Matteoli and Huckleberry Flint started off the concert, leaving the whole crowd in good spirits.

Before it was time for the grammy-award winning artist to be welcomed to the stage. Mayor Seaman presented Bareilles with the key to the city of Eureka, in honor of the work she has put into the Humboldt community. 

“I, Mayor Susan Seaman, on behalf of the Eureka City Council, do hereby proclaim October 16, 2022 as Sara Bareilles Day,” Mayor Seaman said. 

Bareilles was moved by both the words of both the Mayor and seeing the overwhelming crowd that filled almost the whole waterfront in Eureka. 

“This is unbelievable, this is beyond my wildest expectations,” Bareilles said.