Waiting for the SBC Saddle Horse Show & Rodeo Parade

People started putting out their chairs before 10 a.m. for this evening's annual San Benito County Saddle Horse Show & Rodeo Parade. The parade will begin at 6:15 p.m. It will start at the south end of San Benito Street and march through the center of Downtown Hollister, ending at Fifth Street.

The 2014 SBC Saddle Horse Show & Rodeo Parade

Moments to Love about Hollister

Nova Alinca, the last participants in the annual Portuguese Festival parade, came to a halt in front of the Old Courthouse on Fifth Street. The other parade participants had stopped before them. The band members turned to face the American flag and prepared their instruments to play.

"Oh say can you see. . . ." 

The doors of the Methodist Church opened. A few members came out. Upon hearing the national anthem, they stood respectfully at attention. When the song was finished, they went back in and closed the doors. The parade continued onward to Sacred Heart Church.

It's moments like these that remind me why I like living in Hollister. 

2015 Festa do Espirito Santo Parade

Last Sunday, the Husband and I headed down to Dunne Park to watch the start of the annual Portuguese Festival parade. It's one of the prettiest parades in Hollister.

Every year, the Portuguese American community of Hollister holds the Festa Do Espirito Santo, or Feast of the Holy Spirit, on Pentacost Sunday to celebrate a longtime cultural tradition.

The two-day event honors Queen Isabella of the 14th century who helped the starving poor in the Azores Islands against the wishes of her husband.  She gave her crown to the church so that it could buy food for the people.

The local Portuguese American community held its annual festival this weekend at its S.D.E.S. (Socieda do Divino Espirito Santo) Hall on Seventh Street. Saturday night was the crowning of  the "Big Queen" (high school student) and "Little Queen" (elementary school student) and their royal courts, who will represent the community at Portuguese American festivities throughout the year.

The "Big Queen" and "Little Queen" and their courts lead the traditional parade on Sunday morning. They were joined by royal courts from Portuguese American communities in Gilroy, Morgan Hill, Mountain View, Monterey, and other cities.

The parade started at the S.D.E.S. Hall, and made its way up Seventh Street to San Benito Street Street, where the parade marched to Sixth Street and then down to Sacred Heart Church. After attending a mass, the community went back to the hall to enjoy a traditional meal of Portuguese beef and cabbage soup.

To see more parade photos, check out the album at Take 25 to Hollister Facebook page.

I've linked up to Our World Tuesday. Come check out other participants from around the world with me.

P is for. . .

Parades!

Sometimes I wonder if Hollister may have the most parades of any small city in the United States. Not complaining, mind you. It's just amazing how many cool parades we have throughout the year. And, most of them go through Downtown Hollister.

Portuguese Festival Parade

Coming: Saturday, June 6, 2015

San Benito County Saddle Horse Show & Rodeo Parade

Coming: Thursday, June 25, 2015

Fourth of July Kiddie Parade

Coming: Saturday, July 4, 2015

Mexican Independence Day Parade

Coming: Sunday, September 13, 2015

San Benito High School Homecoming Parade

Coming: Friday, October 23, 2015

Veterans Day Parade

Coming: Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Lights On Celebration Parade

Coming: Saturday, November 28, 2015

Click here to find other A to Z challenge participants.

K is for . . .

Still kicking!

And, still kicking is the San Benito County Saddle Horse Show and Rodeo, which began in 1929. Every year, the event takes place at the Bolado Park Fairgrounds in Tres Pinos, about 8 miles south of Hollister. This year, the weekend event will be Friday, June 26 to Sunday, June 28.

As in past years, The Saddle Horse Show and Rodeo will kick off on Thursday evening (June 25) with the a parade through Downtown Hollister.

 

Click here to find other A to Z challenge participants.

November – December 2015 Annual Events in San Benito County

Here are some annual events taking place in November and December of this year in San Benito County. Click the following links to find out about events in other months.

• March - May 2015
• June - July 2015
• August - October 2015

NOVEMBER 2015

November 11: Veterans Day Parade  

November 28: 25th Annual Lights On Celebration  For its Facebook page, click here. 

DECEMBER 2015

To Be Announced: 4th Annual Holiday Stroll Through Time in San Juan Bautista

To Be Announced: 10th Annual Holiday in Lights Parade in San Juan Bautista 

December 18: Annual Holiday Bonfire/Hayden Christmas Celebration in San Juan Bautista

December 21: Winter Solstice at the Old Mission San Juan Bautista

August – October 2015 Annual Events in San Benito County

Here are some annual events taking place in August through October this year in San Benito County. Click the following links to find out about events in other months.

• March - May 2015
• June - July 2015
• November - December 2015

AUGUST 2015

August 6 - 8: The Good Old Fashioned Blue Grass Festival  at Bolado Park

August 9: 51st Annual Antique and Collectibles Fair sponsored by the Rotary Club of San Juan Bautista  

To Be Announced: Vaquero Heritage Days in San Juan Bautista

To Be Announced: 2nd Annual Boots and Brews Family Fest   at Jardines de San Juan in San Juan Bautista

SEPTEMBER 2015

September 13: Mexican Independence Day Parade in Downtown Hollister

September 19 - October 18: Northern California Renaissance Faire at Casa de Fruta (weekends only)

September 26 - 27: Annual Cactus and Succulent Show Fall Sale in San Juan Bautista  

September 25: Double Road Race in San Juan Bautista

OCTOBER 2015

October 1 - 4: San Benito County Fair 

October 1 - 31: Pumpkin Junction at Casa de Fruta

October 17: 3rd Annual San Benito Olive Festival

October 23: San Benito High School Homecoming Parade Downtown Hollister

To Be Announced: 7th Annual San Juan Bautista Ghost Walk  sponsored by the Rotary Club of San Juan Bautista

To Be Announced: Alfred Hitchcock's "Vertigo Day" at San Juan Bautista State Historic Park

To Be Announced: Swank Farms Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch

June – July 2015 Annual Events in San Benito County

Here are some annual events taking place in June and July of this year in San Benito County. Click the following links to find out about events in other months.

• March - May 2015
• August - October 2015
• November - December 2015

JUNE  2015

June 20 and 21: Hollister Airshow  

June 20 - 21: Annual Early Days at San Juan Bautista State Park 

June 6 - 28: San Benito County Saddle Horse Show & Rodeo is a month-long event. Some events are free.

• June 6: Miss Rodeo Contest 
• June 20: Memorial Ranch Rodeo
• June 21: Roping competition 
• June 25: Saddle Horse Parade and Fiesta in Downtown Hollister
• June 26–28: San Benito County Saddle Horse Show and Rodeo 

June 28: Old Mission San Juan Bautista Fiesta  Update: The fiesta for the public has been cancelled. But, the parish will still hold a parish gathering in the grove.

JULY 2015

July 3 - 5: Hollister Freedom Rally 

July 4: Fourth of July Kiddie Parade  

July 11: 19th Annual Indian Canyon Storytelling and Indigenous Gathering 

July 18: 29th Annual Street Festival, Car Show and Swap 

Coming Very Soon: The Lights On Celebration

It's starting to look rather festive in downtown Hollister. The Hollister Downtown Association has already strung the Yuletide boughs across San Benito Street. With the help of many volunteers, Hollister Downtown Association will have downtown ready for the annual Lights On Celebration this coming Saturday, November 29.

To learn more about the day and evening festivities, including the Lights On Parade, click on the poster below. Or, click here.

I've joined other bloggers at Our World Tuesday. Click here to check out what's going in other parts of the world.

2014 Mexican Independence Day Parade

2013 Mexican Independence Day Parade.
To see more photos of last year's parade, please click here.

Coming up in Hollister on Sunday, September 14, is the Mexican Independence Day Parade.  Starting at 11:30 AM, the parade will march down San Benito Street, from Nash Road to Fifth Street. The parade celebrates the day—September 16, 1810—that Mexico declared itself free of 300 years of rule under Spain, thus starting the Mexican War of Independence.

I'm hanging out at Mrs. Nesbitt's ABC Wednesday today, which is featuring the letter I. Click here to check out what other bloggers are posting.

Hot Seats for the Parade

We, Hollister folks, love our parades. Except for the Fourth of July parade, all of them march through downtown Hollister. Some people set up their chairs on the sidewalk before noon to make sure they get the best parade-watching spots. 

Want to see some stunning black and white photos by photo bloggers from all over the world? Check out The Weekend in Black and White. That's where I'm hooking up today.

By the way, here's a list of our annual parades:

• Festa do Espirito Santo Parade in late May/early June
• San Benito County Horse Show & Rodeo Parade in late June
• Fourth of July Kiddie Parade
• Mexican Independence Day Parade in September
• San Benito High School Homecoming Parade in October
• Veterans Day Parade on November 11th 
• Annual Lights On Celebration Parade

Uncle Sam, Betsy Ross, and Cutie Ballerina

The Summer Band Camp performed "God Bless America" while marching behind Uncle Sam, Betsy Ross, and a Cutie Ballerina at the Fourth of July Kiddie Parade. This annual parade doesn't get much notice, but it does get bigger and more organized. Kids of all ages are welcome to participate. Be sure to put it on your calendar for the 2015 Independence Day.

If you'd like to see more photos of the parade, check out this Take 25 to Hollister album at Facebook. You don't need to be a member or sign on to view it. Please drop me a note if the link is broken.

The Sweetest Parade of Hollister

Around ten in the morning of July 4, 2014,  while bikers begin rumbling into Hollister and parking their metal steeds on main street, the most adoringly sweetest, and shortest, parade of Hollister shall march along Memorial Drive, from Hillcrest Road to Meridian Street.

The annual Fourth of July Kiddie Parade is my favorite of all the parades that we have in Hollister. What's not to like! It's all about the younger children. Bicycles, scooters, wagons, and strollers, as well as many of the kids, are dressed in 4th of July glory. The boys and girls follow Uncle Sam and an all-kids band, as they walk, scoot, roll, and pedal the few short blocks to Marguerite Maze School. Many of them have their parents, grandparents, older siblings, and other adult relatives alongside them.

Everyone—of all ages—is welcome to march in the parade. If you and/or your kids are interested, you need to line up at the Veterans Memorial Park parking lot (corner of Memorial Drive and Hillcrest Road) by 10 AM.

Spectators: It's truly a short parade. So, if you want to see it all, be sure to get to Memorial Drive, between Hillcrest Road and Meridian Street, by 10 AM, too.

For photos of last year's sweetest parade, please click here.

Crashing Cymbals

A Watsonville Band member provided the end of a song with resounding joy at Thursday night's San Benito County Saddle Horse Show & Rodeo Parade.

A Great View of the Parade

I had the best seat ever to watch the parade that opened the 2014 San Benito County Saddle Horse and Rodeo. This old lady is just not used to sitting on the curb. Next time, I'll remember to bring my beach chair, which, now that I think about it, was in my car trunk. Oh well.

If you didn't have a chance to get down to the parade or want to re-live it, I have an album of photos at Facebook that you're welcome to view. Please click here.