California bubble entertainer cited for 'fluid littering'

SAN DIEGO, Calif. - A California Navy veteran, who makes a living entertaining kids with giant bubbles, is facing a court date after receiving a citation for  what the city of San Diego calls "fluid littering."   

Sandy Snakenberg, aka "The Bubble Pirate," got decked out in his pirate costume on Saturday, and set up his bubble-making show at a favorite spot to perform-- La Jolla Cove in San Diego.

Around sundown, a crowd of delighted young spectators had gathered to watch the 63-year-old create and release large iridescent bubbles into the air.  

That’s when a park ranger came by, wrote him up, and issued him a ticket for violating San Diego’s municipal code against littering.

"That's what they put on the ticket," Snakenberg told KTVU. "I asked them to stipulate bubbles, and he refused to stipulate that it was bubble." 

The ticket mandates that Snakenberg appear in court in October.  

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In a statement, a city spokesperson explained why the citation was issued. 

 "The City of San Diego values the rights of community members to engage in expressive activity in City parks, including artistic expression," the statement read. "This does require those engaging in these activities to do so in accordance with other City codes and regulations, including those related to littering and disposal of waste."

Supervising Public Information Officer Benny Cartwright went on to say that Snakenberg was alerted and warned multiple times before the citation was issued. Cartwright also said that Snakenberg uses a lot of bubbles. 

"The individual uses up to six gallons of liquid per day with the residual chemicals ending up in the lawn areas which can cause damage to the grass. After witnessing numerous violations and receiving complaints from other park users, Rangers issued the lowest level citation available," Cartwright explained.

Snakenberg, who lives out of his bubble-making van, acknowledged that park rangers did indeed alert him several times of possible action. 

"They did give me a heads-up," he told KTVU, adding that they were very nice in the enforcement efforts. "They were quite cool about it and communicative… They didn't even tell me I had to close the show." 

But Snakenberg questioned the need to enforce such a rule when he said he has been very conscientious about releasing his bubbles responsibly and has always practiced his trade while keeping the environment in mind.

"After being there for eight years, the grass is green," the bubble maker said.

He explained how he crafts his own bubbles by hand and is careful about the ingredients that go into his mix. 

"It will not kill the grass," Snakenberg said. "I am a bubbleologist. I practice the science, the art, and the magic of bubbles. First and foremost is safety– safety of the environment and the audience. Those are my two things." 

He acknowledged that some of the bubble fluid does get deposited into the grass. But he said he tries to mitigate that, using tarps to catch any spillage and he makes sure he disposes the unused portions of his mix responsibly. 

He also noted that some of the wear and tear on the grass is simply from foot traffic. "I move around a lot. The kids trod on the grass. There is trodding," Snakenberg said.

The entertainer said he’s been doing his show in the park for years. 

The irony of him being cited for littering was that, over the years, Snakenberg said he has spent time picking up trash in the park.  

"I am really thankful for that space," he said, adding that locals invited him to do his show at the park when he first moved to San Diego. 

Snakenberg, who has traveled around the West and abroad in Singapore to be an entertainer, said he also spent time in the Bay Area, where he engaged in speed skating, setting a world record for skating 316 Miles in 24 hours. 

He’s also worked as a skating coach, a chef and performed as a hip-hop dancer. 

"I immerse myself in whatever I do," Snakenberg said.

Right now, that’s working his magic with bubbles. His company, Bubble World, performs at birthday parties, funerals, and "whatever requires a celebration of life and brings people together," he said. 

He said he tries not to stress out about things. He plans to go to his court appearance in October, hoping to bring attention to what he views as unnecessary enforcement of an activity that’s being carried out responsibly while bringing people joy.

"They’re cracking down on other bubble people. Not just me," he said. "It's a park it's supposed to be enjoyed."

This story was reported in Oakland, Calif.