While a couple dozen activists with handguns holstered to their hips gathered on Manhattan Beach Boulevard on Saturday in preparation to walk to the Hometown Fair, two friends were having lunch at an outdoor table at Hennessey's Tavern and watching.

Though the women are both Republicans, they didn't see things the same way when it came to guns at the fair.

"I think it's completely inappropriate," said Molly Hobin, a 25-year Manhattan Beach resident. "Manhattan Beach Hometown Fair is a family-friendly fair, and I just do not think it's appropriate walking around with guns."

Although Hobin understood that the South Bay Open Carry members' guns were not loaded, she nevertheless described the display as "ridiculous."

Hobin's friend, Kate Meade, disagreed.

"Our U.S. Constitution gives us the right to bear arms, and I think if they've got the proper safety and training or whatever it takes to get a license, I don't think it's wrong to stop them and ask for their license," Meade said.

And so it was at the 38th Annual Manhattan Beach Hometown Fair, as well as in the days leading up to the event, as residents expressed somewhat divergent views on whether guns should be allowed at the fair.

Initially, fair organizers, backed by local police, said guns were not allowed. But Harley Green, founder of South Bay Open Carry, threatened lawsuits, which softened the Manhattan Beach Hometown Fair Association's and the city's stance.

Green, who organized the group in June, has staged public awareness events this summer in Hermosa Beach and Redondo Beach in the belief that the constitutional right to openly carry unloaded weapons is being chipped away at by state and federal legislation. At the fair, guns and detached ammo holstered to their sides, group members passed out literature and spoke with anyone who approached them.

Some fair attendees supported them. Some sure didn't.

Evan Johnson of Manhattan Beach was someone who did not like seeing the guns around him at the fair.

"I think it shows poor judgment and poor community spirit," Johnson said. "They choose this venue instead of supporting the community to create a stir, to create attention for themselves, all for a misguided purpose, to show that there are rights.

"You have the right to go to the movie theater in a bikini," Johnson continued. "It doesn't mean it's a good idea. It's not a good idea to wear your guns to the Hometown Fair no matter what your rights are."

Ten minutes later, two women waiting in line for falafel told Green how much they support him and his organization.

For those who disliked seeing the group with guns on full display, Green said their fear is misplaced.

"If you look at our neighboring state of Arizona, people have the constitutional right to carry concealed, open carry and loaded [weapons]," Green said. "And there hasn't once been an instance where someone was open carrying and had been arrested for committing a crime involving a firearm."*

After Green and others with guns entered the fairgrounds, they met with Sgt. Mark Mason, who told them where guns were not allowed because the city had deemed areas of the fairgrounds a "school zone." Later in the afternoon, a police lieutenant stopped by to thank Green and members of Open Carry for their professional behavior at the fair.

Although the issue of guns at the fair was emotional for many, for attendee Tyler Payne it was much ado about nearly nothing.

"We are at a fair and this is kind of like the first time this has ever happened, so it's kind of throwing people off," Payne said. "But at the same time, I think it'll be fine. People are just enjoying themselves and if they take it the wrong way, then they're going to take it the wrong way. But if you just worry about yourself and who you are with, things will be fine."

*Editor's note: Patch has so far been unsuccessful in finding data that supports or refutes Mr. Green's claim.