29th Annual Street Festival, Car Show, Swap Meet, and Chili Cookoff!

Here's how late I can be: I finally "processed" some of my photos from last year's street festival. Ha! Just in time, too. This Saturday, July 18, is the 29th Annual Street Festival, Car Show, and Swap Meet in Downtown Hollister. New this year is a Chili Cookoff. 

The free event runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on San Benito Street, between Fourth and South Streets. Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Streets will also be closed between Monterey and East Streets. 

Lots of old, older, and even older cars to see. Also, live music and entertainment to enjoy on two stages. Be sure to stop at the Hollister Downtown Association's booth for a free slice of watermelon.

The Hollister Downtown Association sponsors the event each year. Thank you, Brenda and team!

Here are a few more photos from the 2014 festival and car show. Maybe this year, I'll get Saturday's photos up sooner. Have fun at the festival!

Through the Looking Glass

Sightseeing in Downtown Hollister. See you tomorrow.

Santa Ana Valley Road

Santa Ana Valley Road is a pleasant bicycle ride or drive, several miles east of Downtown Hollister. You can get there one of three ways.

The most direct route is to access it from the north by turning onto Santa Ana Valley Road from Fairview Road.

From the south, turn onto John Smith Road, and follow it all the way to the end. You have a choice of turning left or right onto Santa Ana Valley Road. Turn left and you pedal or drive through the valley floor.

The least direct route is from Tres Pinos. From Highway 25 (aka Airline Highway), turn onto Quien Sabe Road, across from Immaculate Conception Church. Simply follow the road, and at the end, turn left. Voila, you're on Santa Ana Valley Road.

Enjoy!

Local Corn Fields

That's the Gabilan Range in the distance. Where am I? Looking at the corn fields on Fallon Road.

A Sunday Flashback -- Early 1990s

You're looking north on San Benito Street. Not much different, right?

Look closer.  Johnny's Bar & Grill doesn't have the mural we see today on it. That gets painted in 1996.

See The Vault building on the corner, across the street. No? It's the two-story green building. The Vault won't be open for another several more years.

Looking Down Swope Alley

Swope Alley is a unique street in Downtown Hollister. Between West and San Benito Streets, the alley runs east to west (or west to east depending on your point of view). Nothing strange about that.

But, on the other side of of San Benito Street, Swope Alley runs behind the storefronts. It goes from north to south (or south to north) between Seventh and South Streets. That's what you're seeing in the photo.

Interesting, huh? I wonder what the story is about Swope Alley

Friday Morning in Downtown Hollister

Another Hollister moment to love. Need I say more.

Irrigation Pipes

I have a soft spot for irrigation pipes. Sounds weird, I know. But, they were a part of my childhood. The Daddy worked for various farmers in San Benito County as an irrigator. Between the ages of four and eight, he and the fields were my babysitter.

One of my memories is of playing next to the large irrigation pipes from which water rushed down vegetable rows from the small open gates in the pipes. I made sure to see where the Daddy was as he worked his way across the field to the other end. When the water reached the end of a row, Daddy held his shovel high above the row. My job then was to shut the water gate for that row. Looking back, it was one of the best jobs I've had.

By the way, this scene is on Union Road, near Ladd Elementary School.

Drying Apricots

Tray after tray of organic Blenheim apricots dry in the sun at The Farm/ Bertuccio's Market on Airline Highway (aka Highway 25).  The aroma of the drying apricots was delightful.

The House on the Corner

Every time I pass by the run down, abandoned house on the corner of Fairview and John Smith Road, I think photo opp. I finally stopped there the other morning when something got in my eye while pedaling my bike.

I wonder what the story is behind the house. Whoever had lived there once upon a time liked pepper trees. The trees are gorgeous.

Summer Morning

It's another beautiful morning in Hollister. This is a view from Union Road above The Farm/Bertuccio's Market.

2015 Hollister Freedom Rally

The Hollister Freedom Rally will be ending in a couple hours. The weather has been perfect for the three-day event. Not too hot, not too cold. And, the fog burned off early in the morning. Hope the thousands of visitors and locals who attended the motorcycle rally enjoyed themselves.

Hats off to the ConvEXX, the rally's organizer, and to Hollister Police Chief David Westrick for a great job of ensuring a safe and peaceful event.

For more photos of the events, check out Take 25's album on Facebook. You don't need to be a Facebook member or sign on to view it.

The 2015 Fourth of July Kiddie Parade

The Husband and I barely parked our bicycles when we heard the band start up a couple blocks away. The annual Fourth of July Kiddie Parade had begun. Hurrah! 

The Summer Band and Music Band Camp Marching Band played the Stars & Stripes. The Husband, a former school band marcher, said that they played part of the song, but they had it memorized. Few, if any, were carrying music. The young musicians were quite impressive. 

The fun parade of cuteness and sweetness went by quickly, as the children and their grown-ups made their way from the Veterans Park to Marguerite Maze School on Meridian Drive. 

Happy Fourth of July, Everyone!

The Replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Hollister

The Moving Wall, the replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial (also known as The Wall) in Washington D.C., is on display at Dunne Park, on Seventh and Powell Streets. It's open for free viewing 24 hours a day during the Hollister Freedom Rally.

Completed in 1982, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was built to honor the military men and women who served within the combat zone consisting of Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and other coastal areas. The names on the wall are the 58,272 military personnel who were killed or remain missing in action since 1959.  For more details about the memorial, please click here.

The Moving Wall was created to bring the memorial to people who may not be able to visit the actual one in Washington, D.C. The replica is half the size of the memorial. It has criss-crossed the United States every year for more than 30 years. For info about the Moving Wall, please click here.

John Caldwell wrote a wonderful article in BenitoLink.com about The Moving Wall coming to town. It includes an interview with local veteran Bernie Rameriz who remembers the seven Hollister men who were killed in action and are noted on The Wall. To read "A moving memorial to Vietnam vets comes to Dunne Park", please click here.

During the Moving Wall's stay in Hollister, it is being hosted by the following groups. Thank you for sponsoring its display in our community.

Dark Clouds, But No Rain

We've been having strange weather. High temperatures with humidity, which you'd think would break into rain. Nope.  Dark clouds passing through, which, again, you'd think would result in rain. Ha!

We can only hope that some of this weather may give us a surprise summer rain.

The 4th of July Kiddie Parade

The annual 4th of July Parade is the cutest and sweetest of all the parades that we have in Hollister. The main participants are the children of Hollister. It's also the shortest, and the only parade that does not go along the main street of Dowtown Hollister.

The Independence Day Kiddie Parade starts at 10 a.m. It marches down Memorial Drive, between Hillcrest Road and Meridian Street, to Marguerite Maze School.

All children and their adults are welcome to join the parade. Kids can walk, pedal their bicycles, push their scooters, ride their wagons or strollers, and so forth. If you want to be in the parade from the start, meet at the corner of Hillcrest Road and Memorial Drive before 10 a.m.

If you're a sentimental old fool like me who plans to watch the parade, be sure to bring tissues or a hankie in case you start crying because you're watching such a cute and sweet parade.

Three More Days Until. . .

The Hollister Freedom Rally!

Over this Fourth of July weekend, the number of people in Hollister shall be nearly threefold, if not more, as bikers from all over California, the United States, and even the world rumble in to visit the Birthplace of the American Biker. 

Lots of activities are planned for this free three-day event, from Friday, July 3, to Sunday, July 5. 

Touring Vietnam Veterans Memorial 

The Touring Vietnam Veterans Memorial, hosted by the local Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion branches, will be arriving on Thursday afternoon. It'll be set up at Dunne Park on Seventh Street. For more details, check out this article. 

Friday Contests

Who's got the best tattoos? Join or watch the tattoo contest at the Veteran's Building Stage. Registration is between 2:00 and 2:30 p.m., with the contest starting immediately afterwards. 

The Custom Bike Show is a competition of the best bikes in various categories, such as the Best Custom Bike, Best Bobber, and Best Paint. Participants will display their bikes from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the lawn at the corner of San Benito and Fourth Streets. The award ceremony will be 5:30 p.m. 

Saturday

On Saturday, actors Tommy Flanagan (Chibs) and Mark Boone Junior (Bobby) of Sons of Anarchy will be doing a Meet & Greet at the Veterans Memorial Building, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

Starting at 6:15 p.m. on the 7th Street Stage will be the Ms. Hollister Freedom Rally Contest.  For more details, click on this link. 

Live Music All Day Long

Bands will be performing on three stages in Downtown Hollister. Music will run on Friday and Saturday, from 12 to 6 p.m., and on Sunday, from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. For the schedule of bands, visit this page.

Live performances will also be happening at Bolado Park, the official campground for the Motorcycle Rally, on Friday and Saturday. Many local bands, such as Change in the Weather and Kizmet, will be performing there from 3:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Admission fee for non-campers is $10. Check out this link for the schedule. 

Headlining Concerts

This year, the rally will feature big-time concerts in Downtown Hollister. The streets will be rocking and rolling with The Fabulous Thunderbirds on Friday and The Guess Who (yes, the Guess Who!) on Saturday. Both concerts start at 7:30 p.m. You can purchase tickets online at the Hollister Freedom Rally web site. 

There's a lot more going on. Check out the Hollister Freedom Rally web site and Facebook page for more info.   

Today, I'm linking up with Our World Tuesday. Click here to check out posts from participants from around the world.

The Masonic Lodge Clock Tower

I think it's time for another view of our famous timepiece in Downtown Hollister.

Until tomorrow. Tick, tock. Tick, tock. . . .

The Quiet Before the V-r-r-r-r-r-mmmm

Come this Friday morning, the streets of Downtown Hollister will be filled with bikers and their motorcycles, and will stay filled until Sunday evening.

We expect tens of thousands of visitors in Hollister over the Fourth of July weekend for the annual Hollister Freedom Rally, a free biker event that is said to be the largest in California. For the details, visit the Hollister Freedom Rally website.

Illusions in Santa Ana Valley

Doesn't it look like the mountain is fenced off? And, that the mountain is quite nearby? For that matter, are those really mountain peaks?

I'm on Santa Ana Valley Road looking up at the Diablo Range through a fence, on which the other side rows of corn are growing.

See you tomorrow.