The Santa Paula Kiwanis Club’s own Action Club and SPHS Key Club will also take part in the parade, said Stock.Also on hand will be those perennial parade favorites, members of the Topa-Topa Flywheelers Club at the wheel of antique farm equipment, including plenty of tractors.“I love ‘em! I love those antique tractors,” said Stock. “The Topa-Topa Flywheelers will appear both in the parade and later be displayed at the Citrus Festival” held at Harding Park.Stock also expects dozens and dozens of antique and classic cars in the parade that will then peel off to Harding Park for the Citrus Festival Car Show.The Car Show is organized by Dan Salas, who with his wife Casey served as Parade coordinators for several years and who Stock said have been “extremely helpful, really nice and I appreciate it.”Saturday’s Citrus Parade is Stock’s first time at the helm of the event: “It’s always a lot of work, everything is last minute but it’s going to be great. We have good people and I’m working with Dan and Casey” to ensure that the parade is enjoyed by all. “I know there will be some last-minute entries...I just wish we had bands,” but during July school is out, although Stock remains hopeful there will be some musicians who take part.This year Parade entrants have the chance to win plaques and cash prizes.For more information visit the Citrus Festival Website at www.santapaulafestival.org
Citrus Festival Parade Saturday
July 18, 2007
Santa Paula News
Everyone loves an old-fashioned hometown parade, and Ken Stock of the Kiwanis Club is making sure that tradition remains true with Saturday’s 40th Annual Citrus Parade.
By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesEveryone loves an old-fashioned hometown parade, and Ken Stock of the Kiwanis Club is making sure that tradition remains true with Saturday’s 40th Annual Citrus Parade.The Kiwanis Citrus Festival (July 20-22) is the longest running festival in the state, with the 2007 Parade - this year led by Grand Marshals Debbie and Don Johnson, owners of the Santa Paula Times - a mainstay of the weekend of everything fun and citrus.The Citrus Festival Parade - this year themed “Citrus From Around the World!” - starts at 10 a.m. and offers a strong touch of hometown charm with plenty of fun floats, elected officials, music, horses, marchers and antique and classic cars.The Parade will also feature Santa Paula Police in patrol cars and Fire personnel riding engines with sirens blaring, clowns, antique farm equipment, and just anything and everything you can think of.Ranging along Main Street from 7th to 11th streets, the Citrus Parade also shows off Santa Paula’s historic downtown business district to great advantage...the parade is filmed and broadcast countywide by Time Warner Cable Channel 10 and later replayed. “We have a lot of entries,” and Parade Coordinator Ken Stock said he has been busy lining up more, including from Santa Paula Airport, the Capital of Antique Airplanes, that will be a “big surprise.”Stock’s own fondness for parades centers on “kids, it’s just great to see them out there, see them on the floats” or lining the streets waving at parade participants as they pass by.
