Happy 80th Birthday To Marshall West

Marshall West plays Isaac Wickersham Petalumans YesteryearYou may not know Marshall but you may have seen him downtown dress in garb of the day or driving a historic egg truck in our Butter & Egg Days parade.

Yesterday he celebrated his 80th birthday – Congrats! Marshall is involved in preserving the history of our city in many ways. He has been a huge volunteer and supporter of the Petaluma Historic Library and Museum. He plays the part of one of Petaluma’s leading citizen and banker, Isaac Wickersham, in Petalumans of Yesteryear. Don’t miss today’s History Trails Walk with The Petalumans of Yesteryear –at 1-2:30pm: Reservations required. 778-4398. See website for details: www.petalumamuseum.com.This years Butter & Egg Day slogan is All Aboard! Next Stop Petaluma and our Grand Marshall this year is Charlie Siebenthal, President of Northwestern Pacific Railroad Historical Society. Many people are not aware that Isaac Wickersham was President of, and organized, the Sonoma-Marin Railroad in 1872.  He attempted to extend the line south of town to San Rafael.

Charlie Grand Marshal Petaluma Butter & Egg Days ParadeWe have a lot to learn from our Petaluma senior fellows.  So as we celebrate Petaluma history week be sure to thank the many who work hard to preserve it.

Thanks Marshall!

Here is the historic egg truck in last year’s parade in case  you didn’t see it.

Two videos added to our Petaluma Butter & Egg Days Parade YouTube Playlist

Petaluma High School Marching Band in 2015 Butter & Egg Days ParadeWe have two new 2015 Butter & Egg Days Parade videos added to our playlist.

Petaluma Junior High School Marching Band in 2015 Butter & Egg Days Parade

and

District 2 Dairy Princess Connie Jones with 1st Alt. Alex Gambonini 2015 Butter & Egg Days Parade

subscribe buttonIf you have not already visited our YouTube Channel you may not know what you are missing.  If you want to be sure not to miss any new videos we post be sure to subscribe to our channel by clicking on the subscribe  button as shown to the right.   We update and share the following playlists, and you can subscribe to any one of them that interests you the most.

Video/Photos of Petaluma’s 2015 Butter & Egg Days Parade

2015 Butter & Egg Days ParadeDid  you miss the parade?  Well no worries, here is the complete parade captured on photo and video by us and Petaluma Community Access. Also we put together a photo gallery of this years parade to document one of our favorites annual events that is enjoyed by thousands.

The following are video clips of the entries (more bite size videos) that are easy to share instead of having to search through one long video.  We captured these on the corner of Kentucky and Washington Street.  Do you see anyone you know?  We will be adding more videos to this playlist over time.

CLICK ON PAGE TWO BELOW TO SEE A PHOTO GALLERY OF THIS YEARS PARADE

What’s Going On In Petaluma? April 25 through May 1

  • Petaluma Antique FairesButter & Egg Days Parade – Click this link to get the (SMARTPHONE FRIENDLY SCHEDULE & MAPs), April 25, 10am-5pm: Petaluma’s best loved event returns for its 34th year and is celebrating our “Fertile Ground”! Watch over 130 units march through Downtown Petaluma, enjoy food and drink, music, arts and crafts and an area just for kids! Come early to watch the Cow Chip tossing contest at 10:00, The Cutest Lil Chick Contest at 10:15, Pre-Parade Entertainment at 11:15 & the kids’ Pre Parade at 11:30. Main Parade steps off at 12pm at Fourth and D St, loops around to Petaluma Blvd North, and ends at Petaluma Blvd South at D St.
  • Spring Antique Faire – Sun., April 26, 8am-4pm: Shop for a variety of affordable treasures from 180 vendors in Historic Downtown Petaluma’s historic charm, including its stern Victorian iron-fronts and grand neo-classical buildings, make it the perfect backdrop for the Petaluma Spring Antique Faire. Spanning Fourth & Kentucky Streets between B and Washington Streets, this day long celebration of all things antique will take place on Sunday, April 26th, 2015 from 8am to 4pm.
  • Spring Choir Concert – Sun., April 26, 6:30pm: Performances by the Bell Choir, the children’s choir, instrumental and vocal soloists. Free. First Presbyterian Church, 939 B St.
  • Performance PosterBoating at the Barn – Sundays, 10am-1pm: Pick a rowboat, canoe, kayak or sailboat. River Heritage Center in Steamer Landing Park. Call 769-0910 for information.
  • East-Side Farmers’ Market – Tuesdays, 10am-1:30pm: Year-round, rain or shine! Petaluma Community Center Parking Lot, 320 N. McDowell Blvd. 415-999-5635.
  • Screening of “Performance” – Wed., April 29: Petaluma Film Alliance’s Cinema Series. Pre-film lecture 6pm; Film 7pm; Held at the Carole Ellis Auditorium, SRJC Pet. Campus, 680 Sonoma Mtn. Pkwy.
  • Single Malt Scotch Tasting and Food Pairing – Thurs., April 30, 6pm: Professionally guided tour of single malt scotches expertly paired with a menu of small plates created to compliment each spirit. Petaluma Historical Library & Museum, 20 Fourth St.
  • Bistro 100 Winemaker DinnerCapoeira Petaluma’s 6th Annual Azania Batizado SATURDAY, APRIL 25: 10:00-noon: Street Roda, 2 spots downtown. Meet up at Walnut park at 10 am. 4:45PM: Batizado at the Petaluma School of Ballet (open to the public)
  • Winemaker Dinner – April 28 – Bisto 100 Featuring Preston of Dry Creek. A five-course pairing presented by Executive Chef Garrett Adair and Winemaker Matt Norelli. 6:30pm Seating is limited, 100 Second St.

Cell Phone Friendly Schedule with Maps for Butter & Egg Days Parade (Bookmark it)

Your schedule and embedded maps for Petaluma’s Fertile Grounds. Share it with family and friends.

VIDEO: Petaluma’s Good Egg Ceremony – Congrats to Steve Kemmerle!

Janelle Wang NBC Bay Area Announcing Petalumas Butter & Egg Day ParadeDid you know that our past Good Egg’s choose the next Good Egg each year?  This year’s and past years Good Eggs will be featured in a special section of the Argus Courier today.  So don’t forget to pick up a copy of today’s issue.  Also see their recent article online It’s Time to Celebrate Butter & Egg Days Parade.  Also if you missed it check out our post yesterday VIDEO: Janelle Wang NBC Bay Area Announces #Petaluma’s Butter & Egg Days . In it Janelle Wang of NBC Bay Area did a commercial on our parade calling it the Bay Area’s place to be to celebrate our areas agriculture history.

Dr Fred Groverman Chosen Grand Marshall for 2015 Petaluma Butter & Egg Days Parade
Dr Fred Groverman Chosen Grand Marshall for 2015 Petaluma Butter & Egg Days Parade

We met Steve Kemmerle at this week’s citywide marketing meeting.  Wow what this guy does for our city is amazing.  In the last year he has grown our veteran’s day parade now drawing over 40,000 visitors per year making it one of the largest veteran’s day parades north of golden gate (Even after the city cut future funding of this event — and the Butter & Egg Days Parade – he had to make that up with fundraising).  Some things coming this year is a Korean war vets memorial.  They had the Good Egg ceremony honoring Steve and the Grand Marshal this year Dr. Fred Groverman.  Steve was described as being humble and I should say this was reflected in his short speech – because he said nothing about him and talked only about the Veteran’s Day parade (something he is obviously passionate about).  He talked about passing veterans sometimes looking like he was going to tear up – you can tell the passion in this man’s heart to honor our country’s service men and woman.  We can’t think of another person who deserves this award more.  They called him the “Unsung Hero” and Kaye Chandler captured the ceremony on video so we thought we would share it with you below in case you missed it.

Also I am sure there will be a lot of information about it in the Argus Courier today (paper copy), however here is the first print of their announcements from the Petaluma Post.

Unsung Hero Honored as 2015 Good Egg Steve Kemmerle

Butter & Egg Days Parade Grand Marshal is Dr. Fred Groverman

Here is the Petaluma Good Egg Ceremony that was presented at the Petaluma Library and Museum on Saturday.

 

 

VIDEO: Janelle Wang NBC Bay Area Announces #Petaluma’s Butter & Egg Days

Provided By NBC’s website along with this video is the below:

Honor and enjoy all things Petaluma at this year’s 34th annual Butter and Egg Days Parade and Festival  in historic downtown Petaluma. This year’s parade theme, PETALUMA: FERTILE GROUND, celebrates Petaluma’s remarkable fertile ground and will share the success stories of Petaluma’s culture, businesses, schools, legends, and non-profits, past and present.

Look for NBC Bay Area’s very own Janelle Wang, joined by Giants alumni Jeffrey Pacman Leonard in the parade on NBC Bay Area’s float. The festival begins at 10:00 AM, kicking off fun and family-friendly activities and bringing local food, arts and crafts vendors, local businesses, non-profit booths, and more together for this grand event. The main parade begins at 12:00 PM. Petaluma Transit will also be hosting a free ride day during Butter and Egg Days.

For more information and for a schedule of events, click here

When: April 25, 2015

Where: Downtown Petaluma

Time: 10:00 AM

via The 34th Annual Butter and Egg Days Parade and Festival | NBC Bay Area.

CLICK PAGE 2 TO SEE JANELLE WANG ON A GIANTS DECORATED CABLE CAR IN LAST YEARS PARADE WITH LEGENDARY PITCHER VIDA BLUE

Which Came First—the Butter or the Egg?

Picture Girl Riding ChickenMost Petalumans have either heard of or been to Petaluma’s annual Butter and Egg Days Parade. Many of us have even participated in it and some have grown up going to it every year. But how many of us know the full history behind Butter and Egg Days?

Drawing nearly 25,000 attendees each year, the parade celebrates the city’s long history of producing eggs and dairy. Since the early 1900’s, Petaluma’s economy has depended heavily on the production of the local agricultural community. Petaluma was home to the largest chicken hatchery in the world by 1906 and by 1923 housed the only chicken pharmacy in the nation.

Butter & Egg Days HistoryIn order to promote Petaluma and the consumption of eggs, Petaluma Chamber of Commerce Secretary, H.W (Bert) Kerrigan began National Egg Days in 1918. The first National Egg Day parade brought in four newsreel companies who then made films of the parades, which were shown across the nation. Petaluma celebrated National Egg Days through the 1920s with much enthusiasm and support from the local community.

Clo The Cow Leading The Butter & Egg Days ParadeWhile the tradition of National Egg Days ended in the late 1920s, the idea carried on and inspired Alice Forsyth and Linda Buffo to establish Petaluma’s Butter and Egg Days in 1981. The original egg theme was used, although the egg industry was no longer as prominent as it had been in the 1920s, while the dairy industry had grown. For that reason, the 1983 committee decided to ask local dairies to participate, thus creating Petaluma’s annual Butter and Egg Days.

The parade was brought back in order to celebrate the town’s culture, history, and heritage. This year is our 34th celebration of Petaluma and the farmers whose contributions have made our town possible.

The Petaluma Butter and Egg Days parade and festival is a community event that brings everyone together and displays the best that Petaluma has to offer. The parade and festival celebrate Petaluma’s rich culture and history, bringing together the past and the present, as we join together to look forward with hope.

CLICK ON PAGE 2 TO SEE DETAILS OF THIS YEAR’S PARADE AS WELL AS A COLLECTION OF PHOTOS AND VIDEOS OF PRIOR YEARS PARADE

VIDEO: Did you miss this year’s Butter & Egg Days Parade? No problem PCA has got your back!

Share this post on your facebook timeline or with a friend who missed the parade this year. Maybe you know someone who was in it and would like to see the video. I am sure they will appreciate it.

This video was narrated by Mark Jaramillo and Tina Jones and they announce each entry. It is more than one hour and a half of coverage of the 2014 Butter & Egg Days Parade in Petaluma. While every minute is worth it, the nice thing about video is you can pause, skip ahead, fast forward and rewind.

Short Videos: Petaluma Butter & Egg Days Parade

Missed or want to share an entry

of the #Petaluma Butter & Egg Days parade?

CLICK HERE TO WATCH NOW

We compiled a playlist of short videos on our YouTube channel of the Butter & Eggs Day parade entries. Each video is on average about 20 seconds long. You can watch the entire stream or you can pick and choose which ones to watch.

You can share any one video on your Facebook or other social media. Maybe you know someone who couldn’t make it this year or see someone you know in the video and wish to share it with them.

If you like any of the videos you see thanks in advance for clicking on the thumbs up icon.

We will be adding more this videos this week Petaluma Butter & Egg Day Parade Short Videos