Pony Express Farm Fest Boots, Brews, Bites & Bordeaux Pony Express Barn Dance Chili Cook-off Pony Express Days Parade Pony Express Days Festival Gymkhana & A Bit of History
Official Guide to
Pony Express Days 2015
Welcome!
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The McKinleyville Chamber of Commerce welcomes you to the 47th annual Pony Express Days in McKinleyville. The celebration began in 1968 as a familyfriendly barbecue, parade and equestrian race and quickly became known as McKinleyville’s signature annual event. It’s changed and evolved over the decades, each year reflecting the interests of the town, the volunteers and others who make the celebration possible. This year’s Pony Express Days includes familiar favorites, like the Parade, Pony Express Dance, Chili Cook Off and the Gymkhana. This year we also have a new event – Boots, Brews, Bites & Bordeaux on Saturday, May 30 from 5 to 8 p.m. throughout McKinleyville. We hope you’ll join us and celebrate with our friends and neighbors in McKinleyville. Put on a cowboy hat, shine up your boots and let’s meet in downtown Mack Town and have a good time. Thank you for supporting the McKinleyville community. Have fun and enjoy all the festivities! For more information, call the McKinleyville Chamber of Commerce at (707) 839-2449 or visit the website at mckinleyvillechamber.com. Heather Viña McKinleyville Chamber of Commerce 1640 Central Ave., McKinleyville, CA 95519 (707) 839-2449 mckinleyvillechamber.com
What’ s Inside A Quick Look at What’s Happening ... 2 Farm Fest ............................................ 3 Festival Rules ...................................... 4 Boots, Brews, Bites & Bordeaux ....... 4-5 Barn Dance ......................................... 6 Chili Cook-off .................................... 7
Parade ............................................ 8-10 Festival .............................................. 11 Gymkhana ........................................ 13 A Bit of History .......................... 14-17 Sponsors ........................................... 19 Pardners ......................................... 20
A Quick Look at What’s Happening 2
Saturday, May 30 Noon to 4 p.m.: Farm Fest A&L Feed and Garden Supply 2308 Central, McKinleyville 5 to 8 p.m.: Boots, Brews, Bites & Bordeaux throughout McKinleyville 8 p.m. to midnight: Pony Express Barn Dance A&L Feed Barn, 2308 Central Ave., McKinleyville, The dance includes a boot contest, so wear your nicest pair.
Wednesday, June 3 5:30 to 7 p.m.: Chili Cook Off McKinleyville Activity Center, 1705 Gwin Rd., McKinleyville
Saturday, June 6 11 a.m. Pony Express Days Parade down Central Avenue noon to 4 p.m. Pony Express Days Festival at Pierson Park noon to 4 p.m. Pony Express Saloon at Pierson Park 1 to 3 p.m. Horseshoe Tournament at Pierson Park horseshoe pits 3 p.m. Presentation of Parade Winners at Pierson Park Stage all day Gymkhana McKinleyville Rodeo Grounds on Kjer Road north of the airport
Sunday, June 7 all day Gymkhana McKinleyville Rodeo Grounds on Kjer Road north of the airport
Farm Fest
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Saturday, May 30 from noon to 4 p.m. A&L Feed and Garden Supply will hold the Pony Express Farm Fest at 2308 Central Ave. Local members of Future Farmers of America will be on hand giving homesteading demonstrations and showing off animals. There will be fun activities for children of all ages. Food will also be available.
FUTURE FARMERS OF AMERICA show off their prize animals at last year’s Farm Fest at A&L Feed and Garden Supply.
The 2015 Pony Express Days Guide is published by the Mad River Union, 791 Eighth St. ( Jacoby’s Storehouse), Suite 8, Arcata, CA 95521.
Jack Durham & Kevin Hoover, Publishers Lauraine Leblanc, Production Manager Jada Calypso Brotman, Ads Manager Marty Burdette, Proofreader Printed on recycled paper using soy-based inks. Please recycle.
Boots, Brews, Bites & Bordeaux
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Saturday, May 30 from 5 to 8 p.m. Bring your friends and join us for a beer and wine walk with food pairings throughout McKinleyville. Tickets are $35 in advance and $40 at the event. They are available at the McKinleyville Chamber of Commerce office as well as all host locations. You will be treated to beer, wine and food tastings at 20 venues along the walk. The ticket price also includes entry into the Pony Express Barn Dance. The event is a fundraiser for the Lions Club of McKinleyville and the McKinleyville Chamber of Commerce. See the map at right for a list of host locations and participants. Wes Green Landscaping hay ride transportation & Timber Ridge Shuttle Bus Wes Green Landscaping and Timber Ridge will provide free transportation along the Beer & Wine Walk route. They will make a continuous loop from 5 to 8 p.m. There will be 5 stops on the route: Les Schwab, McKinleyville Shopping Center, Miller Farms, Tri Counties Bank/Chamber Office, Mill Creek Parking Lot and back to Les Schwab. Klotz Mobile Detail Shuttle Van Klotz Mobile Detail will provide free rides home from 7 to 9 p.m. on a first-come-first-serve basis. To schedule your ride, call (530) 315-3272. You will catch your ride home at the Les Schwab check-in booth.
Festival Rules • Alcohol may only be consumed in the cups provided. • All patrons are subject to search. • Alcoholic beverages may not be consumed outside the designated area during the chili cook off and the festival. • Alcoholic beverages may only be consumed inside the host businesses during the beer and wine walk. • Must be 21 years of age to consume alcohol. • No alcohol may be brought in or out of the event. • No ice chests. • No weapons are allowed inside the event. • You must wear an ID wristband to consume alcohol during the Chili Cook off, Pony Express Festival or the Boots, Brews, Bites & Bordeaux.
Boots, Brews, Bites & Bordeaux
A. Les Schwab Tires Parking Lot B. Chamber of Commerce
1. Kreations Auto Body • Sierra Nevada 2. A & L Feed & Garden Supply • Lost Coast Brewery 3. The Stork’s Nest • North Coast Brewing Co. 4. Country Chic Boutique • Mad River Brewing Co. 5. Ramones Bakery • Cabot Vineyards 6. Cloney’s Pharmacy • 101 North Brewing Co. 7. McKinleyville Animal Care Center • Redwood Curtain 8. Arcata Fire • It’s Alive! Kombucha 9. New Trend Wireless • TBA 10. Coast Central Credit Union • Moonstone Crossing 11. Ming Tree Realtors • Lagunitas Brewing Co. 12. Humboldt Land Title • Sun Valley Vineyards 13. Style House Salon • Anchor Brewing Co. 14. DMC Construction • Wildcard Brewing 15. Miller Farms Nursery • Santa Clara Brewing 16. Nor Cal Pet Supply • Six Rivers Brewery 17. Mirador Glass • Winnett Vineyards 18. Tri Counties Bank • 21st Amendment 19. Rays Food Place • Fieldbrook Winery 20. HealthSPORT • Eel River Brewery
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Barn Dance
Saturday, May 30 from 8 p.m. to midnight at the A&L Feed & Garden Supply barn, located at 2308 Central Ave.
Put on your best western duds, shine up those cowboy boots and head on over to the Pony Express Barn Dance. Kick up your heels and dance to tunes of Cliff Dallas and the Death Valley Troubadours. There will be fun activities, including a photo booth and a boot contest. The cost of the dance is $10 per person, or your Boots, Brews, Bites & Bordeaux punch card gets you in free!
KICKIN’ Previous boot contest winners.
Chili Cook-off
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Wednesday, June 3 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the McKinleyville Activity Center, 1705 Gwin Road
Fun and food for the whole family. Meet your neighbors down at the Activity Center for a night of tasting some of the best chili around. There will be live music by the Pilot Rock Ramblers as well as fun activities for the kids. You are the judge as local chefs share their best recipes and vye for your vote in five different categories: Best Professional Chili, McKinleyville’s Best Chili, Best Dressed Team, Best Team Name and Best Booth. Tickets are $8 per person and include cornbread and honey to go with your chili. Beer and non-alcoholic beverages will also be available for purchase. The Chamber is partnering with Humboldt Swim Club for the event. Part of the funds raised will go to them for upcoming projects. They will also have a bake sale at the cook-off so you can end the evening with a little desert.
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Parade
Saturday, June 6, 11 a.m. start time The Pony Express Days Parade is arguably the main event of McKinleyville’s annual festival.
The Pony Express Days Parade will follow its traditional route, starting at McKinleyville High School on Murray Road, south down Central Avenue and ending at School Road. Bring the family out to enjoy the many floats and entries. Entrants will travel down Central in front of the judge’s stand in front of McKinleyville Ace Hardware, where they will be judged in seven categories: best car, best float, best band/group, best youth group, best senior group, best equestrian and best overall parade entry. Winners
Parade
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will be announced at 3 p.m. Pony Express Days Festival stage at Pierson Park. Entry into the parade is free again this year thanks to our many Pony Express Days sponsors. The Chamber partnered with Mad River Rotary to bring you the parade. They spent many hours of volunteer time to make it fun for everyone. Central Avenue between Murray Road and School Road will be temporarily closed during the Pony Express Days Parade on Saturday, June 6. The parade begins at 11 a.m. on Murray and slowly makes it way down Central Avenue. Roads will be reopened after the parade passes. However, motorists who have failed to plan ahead may find themselves unable to get to or from their homes. If you need to get around town during the parade, you may want to think twice about where you park your car, or better yet use your bicycle or hoof it, and then you’ll have the right of way.
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Parade
Serving as the Grand Marshals of the Pony Express Days Parade are the 2015 Azalea Award winners Ross and Kelly Miller. A tradition started in 2001, the award was presented to the Millers at the McKinleyville Chamber of Commerce Annual Awards Dinner and Auction on March 27. The award is given to McKinleyville community members who have a history of service and continue to serve today. Honorees are chosen by past recipients of the award. Ross and Kelly were both born and raised in Humboldt County. Ross graduated from Arcata High School and Kelly from St. Bernard’s High School. Ross attended Humboldt State University before coming to the family business, Miller Farms Nursery, in 1985. Kelly graduated from College of the Redwoods. They recently celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. The Millers have a strong sense of family and community. Ross has worked and volunteered to make Pierson Park and Hiller Sports Complex beneficial to our community. Their favorite investment is in local youth. Ross has spent many years coaching in McKinleyville: Little League, Babe Ruth baseball, recreation and elementary basketball teams. Kelly was by his side and supportive through it all. Ross’ greatest enjoyment was coaching football. He spent 26 years either playing or coaching. He recently retired after 10 years at McKinleyville High School. The Millers served on the Board of Directors for McKinleyville Youth Football and McKinleyville High School’s booster club, Panther Partners. They were also volunteers for the freshman orientation program, “Link,” at the high school. The Millers are thankful and blessed to live in such a great community. Look for the Millers during the Pony Express Days Parade and give them a hardy “thank you” for their service to the community.
Festival
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Saturday, June 6 noon to 4 p.m. at Pierson Park Live music by Swinging Country, food and craft vendors, Saloon, kid’s activities, demonstrations by Arcata Fire Protection District, a horseshoe tournament and more! Saloon: Hosted by Six Rivers Brewery, partnered with McKinleyville Kiwanis. Free kids activities: Bounce house, petting zoo, balloons & pony rides. Horseshoe Tournament: 1 p.m. at the Pierson Park horseshoe pits. Check in at 12:45 p.m. Two-person teams, 18 years and older. Get your application from the McKinleyville Chamber of Commerce website at www.mckinleyvillechamber.com. Space is limited and entries are accepted on a first come, first serve basis. Announcement of Parade Winners: 3 p.m. from the festival stage Festival Partners: The HYSL Humboldt United U-16 boys’ soccer team will be running support for the festival, helping with set-up and clean-up.
Gymkhana
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Saturday and Sunday, June 6 & 7, starts at 9 a.m.
at the Kjer Road Arena A series of competitive games on horseback,
there are five events total: Birangle, Big T, Shill Barrels, Clover Barrels and B Riders Choice. Riders must be rated into a division to qualify. There will also be a lead line for the little riders with prizes. This is the first point show of the season. There will be a snack bar and lots of fun. The event is hosted by the McKinleyville Rodeo Association. For more information, contact Jamie at (707) 496-4840.
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E
A Bit of History
very year someone raises the question:
Why does McKinleyville celebrate Pony Express Days, as the famous mail service of the Wild West never delivered to the North Coast? The answer: The town festival was actually named after a Pony Express-style horse race that was the main attraction in the early years of the event. The first Pony Express Day was planned for Sunday, Aug. 25, 1968 by the Greater McKinleyville Chamber of Commerce. “Come and spend the day with us. We have a full exciting program of events, all of which are free,” declared Chamber President Earl Whipple on the front page of the McKinleyville News. Whipple and an army of volunteers planned a barbecue, parade, baseball game and the “main feature of the day” – a Pony Express Race held in what’s now called Pierson Park, which back then was the Pony and Pals Saddle Club horse arena. “We think you really will have a good time, and do wear your western togs,” Whipple told the McKinleyville News. But on the day of the festival there was an unusual August rainstorm. The parade and baseball game were canceled, while the horse race was rescheduled for Sept. 8, 1968. The barbecue was moved to Pete’s Bella Vista (now the Six Rivers Brewery.) Nearly 3,000 people showed up to consume 2,000 lbs. of beef. On Sept. 8, the Pony Express Race was held behind the McKinleyville Fire Station. Teams consisting of five riders raced their horses, using mail bags like batons, handing them off to each other as they raced around a circular track.
A Bit of History
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The winners of the first Pony Express Race (above) were Jess Robert, team captain from Arcata, Fred Carlson of Samoa, Velma Carlson of Samoa, Eric Hought of McKinleyville and Maurice Letz of McKinleyville. As a point of trivia, Letz was the brother of famous Hollywood actor George Montgomery Letz, better known as George Montgomery. At Pony Express Days there were also barrel races, egg throwing and pancake flipping contests. The following year, 1969, organizers were still worried about having their event rained out. “Although the sponsors probably got the fright of their collective lives when it started drizzling for a while early Sunday morning, bringing fears of a rerun of last year’s drenching, McKinleyville’s weatherman cooperated by blowing the clouds and fog away to give the second annual Pony Express Day warmth and sunshine,” stated a front page article in the Aug. 27, 1969 edition of the McKinleyville News. The 1969 event began with a parade. The local Pony and Pals Saddle Club won the best youth group award for their equestrian parade entry. Democratic Assemblywoman Pauline Davis was the guest of honor and rode in the lead car in the parade. There was no official count of how many people came out to watch the parade, but there were about 1,800 who attended the annual barbecue. “The main attraction, is of course, the Pony Express Race. In this event, which at times gets very rough, and at other times almost comical in nature, especially when the horse won’t play the game according to the rules, teams of five riders in a relay attempt to ride a 300-yard plus course in the quickest time. Instead of passing a baton a saddle bag is used, reminiscent of the Pony Express of the 1860s,” stated an article in the McKinleyville News.
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A Bit of History
Maurice Letz was once again on the winning team. Patty Peeples, who now resides in Virginia, recalls racing in the event. “It was fast, furious,” she said about the race in a 2013 interview. “It was exciting.” Peeples was the first Pony Express Queen, and rode in the parade wearing a crown. In 1970, two-time Pony Express Race winner Maurice Letz decided to try something different and ride his horse to Fieldbrook and back on the “new Fieldbrook Road,” a 10-mile round trip. Letz wore western garb and carried a Pony Express-style mailbag full of Pony Express Barbecue tickets, which he planned to sell to Fieldbrook residents when he arrived. Letz made his way over the hill to the Fieldbrook Grange Hall, where there was a free chuck wagon breakfast. He then rode back over the hill so he could attend the dedication of the new McKinleyville Chamber of Commerce A-frame building, which now houses The Complete Look across from McKinleyville Ace Hardware. Also at the dedication was Miss Humboldt Gail Straughan, that year’s Grand Marshal. With some exceptions, the Wild West theme of Pony Express Days has been fairly consistent over the past 46 years. For several years, the festival included professional rodeos held at the McKinleyville Rodeo Grounds on Kjer Road. But for the past decade and a half, the only major equestrian event during Pony Express Days has been the gymkhana held by the McKinleyville WILD, WILD WEST Tom Gomes, left, and Randy Collenberg Rodeo Association at the at a past Pony Express Days. Date unknown. rodeo grounds. So whatever happened to the festival’s namesake, the Pony Express Race? According to McKinleyville resident Dennis Mayo, variations on the Pony Express Race continued through the early 1990s, although they weren’t held every single year. There were at least two challenges to keeping the race going. One was location. The horse arena at what is now Pierson Park became off limits to horses, and eventually was developed with Azalea Hall, McKinleyville Activity Center, McKinleyville Library and the Sheriff’s Office. The last races were held at Clam Beach, Mayo said. But when the snowy plover was federally listed as a threatened species, complications arose and they stopped holding the race at the beach. Asked why the Pony Express Race couldn’t be held at the McKinleyville Rodeo Grounds, Mayo had a simple answer: It’s too small. The Pony Express Race needs a large course. When it was held at what is now
A Bit of History
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Pierson Park, volunteers tilled a track that was similar in size to the race track at the Ferndale Fairgrounds. Another challenge to keeping the race going was continuity, Mayo said. Organizers of the race, and Pony Express Days, come and go. They get hurt and can no longer participate. They have babies. They get jobs elsewhere and move away. Some die. So Pony Express Days is an ever-changing event that ebbs and flows depending on the volunteers of the time. In 2005, the leadership of the McKinleyville Chamber of Commerce, led by President Ben Shepherd, decided to take the festival in a new direction with a new name – the Azalea Festival. The idea was to make it an event that better promoted the area’s local businesses. It was going to be a fancier affair, with wine and culinary treats from local restaurants. At Pierson Park, there was a “Food Garden” and a Wine and Beer Tasting. While adults were sipping cabernets and pinots and nibbling on local cheese, children were making crafts in “The Children’s Garden,” where they assembled giant tissue paper flowers, pinwheels and kites. Despite the new twist, the event still had much of the same flavor of the old Pony Express Days, with the parade and deep-pit barbecue being the highlight of the weekend. But the response to the wine tasting and highbrow culinary events were lackluster. Many old-timers complained and wanted the event changed back to Pony Express Days. The chamber leadership changed again and there was a new batch of volunteers. In 2009, the chamber conducted a survey, discovering that 75 percent of those who responded said they wanted to change the name back to Pony Express Days. “The Wild West has returned to McKinleyville!” stated a June 3, 2009 article on the front page of the McKinleyville Press. “Last year’s Azalea Festival has morphed back into the original Pony Express Days, which many residents believe is closer to the true spirit of Mack Town.” While there still isn’t a Pony Express Race, there will be several equestrian entries in Saturday’s parade, which begins at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 7. The McKinleyville Rodeo Association holds its annual gymkhana all day Sunday, June 8 at the McKinleyville Rodeo Grounds on Kjer Road. – Jack Durham, editor, Mad River Union
Sponsors
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The Chamber would like to thank everyone who donated time, items or services to help make all the Pony Express Days events a success. This celebration would not be possible without individuals and businesses working together.
T he D uke
B onanza
Ranch Hand
B uckaroo MacMullin & Company
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Pardners
The McKinleyville Chamber of Commerce offers opportunities for organizations and clubs to partner with them during fund raising activities. These partners share in the work as well as receive a portion of the funds raised during the event they are helping with. For more information about partnership opportunities, contact the McKinleyville Chamber at (707) 8392449 or visit their website at www.mckinleyvillechamber.com McKinleyville Lions Club has been serving the community since 1962. They are small but mighty at eight members strong. Their main objective has been sight conservation since Helen Keller challenged the Lions to become “knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness” in 1925. They provide free SPOT vision screenings at local schools and other venues. Their main service project is the Winter Express event. Approximately 720 K-3rd grade students from six schools and 250 volunteers attend this annual event where individual photos with Santa are taken and each student shops for four treasured gifts for their loved ones. For more information contact Bob Wainwright at (707) 839-3768. Mad River Rotary is a group of community minded individuals who have been involved in Humboldt County projects for many years. The club has an annual fundraiser in October that benefits local projects as well as scholarships and other community initiatives. Projects they have participated in and contributed towards include: McKinleyville High Scholarships, Annual Luncheon to honor the top 10% of graduating seniors from McKinleyville High School, Dictionaries for all 3rd graders in McKinleyville, Blue Lake and Orick, annual Easter Senior Luncheon, sponsorship of annual MHS Tip-off Basketball Tournament, contributions to local Teen Center, and Little League Batting Cages. In just the past four years, Mad River Rotary has provided over $90,000 to many local causes. For more information about Mad River Rotary contact Otto van Emmerik at ovanemmerik@greendiamond.com. The Kiwanis Club of McKinleyville is part of a global organization comprised of local volunteers dedicated to changing the world one child and one community at a time. We strive to help the children of McKinleyville by supporting McKinleyville Boy and Girl Scouts, Backpack for Kids Food program, McKinleyville Parks and Recreation, High School Key Club, McKinleyville Family Resource Center, Salvation Army bell ringing, granting McKinleyville High School scholarships, providing school supplies, science fair supplies, and clothing for children at all the McKinleyville schools, and assist in the Worldwide Day of Play. Kiwanis is dedicated to our children of McKinleyville. For more information about Kiwanis Club of McKinleyville contact David Carbiener at (707) 444-6163 HYSL Humboldt United U-16 Boys Soccer Part of the Humboldt Youth Soccer League, the Humboldt United U-16 boys soccer team is coached by Humberto Olea and Heath Ford and consists of players from McKinleyville, Eureka and Fortuna. The team is volunteering to help with the Pony Express Days Festival to raise money for a soccer trip to Denmark and Sweden in the summer of 2016. For more information about Humboldt Youth Soccer League call (707) 444-8845. Humboldt Swim Club (HSC) is a year-round swim club for swimmers from 6 years of age and up. They swim at both the Arcata Community Pool and the Humboldt State University pool. For more information about HSC contact Kelly Carlin at (707) 267-SWIM.