PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID WINTERS, CA PERMIT NO. 10
OFFICIAL GUIDE
ECRWSS
and Tree Lighting Festival
Courtesy graphic
Tractors and festive fun are coming to town Express staff The annual Winters Holiday Tractor Parade and Winters Wonderland events are coming back this year. The two-day event has family-fun events scheduled on Friday, Dec. 1 and Saturday, Dec. 2 for the whole community. For the second year, the city of Winters teamed
up with Bay Area Pop Up Events to plan and organize all the details to provide a fun, safe, family-friendly experience. Event information is available at winterstractorparade.com and discoverwinters.com/holidays.
Friday, Dec. 1 Winters Wonderland The festivities kick off
on Friday, Dec. 1, starting at 2 p.m. with the Holiday Marketplace in Rotary Park and along Downtown Main Street. The Holiday Marketplace features vendors and children’s activities. Later that evening, enjoy cocoa and find hidden elves in participating downtown businesses. There will be live entertainment from Winters
school bands, the annual Winters Tree Lighting Ceremony, and a special meetand-greet event with Santa and friends.
Road closures On Friday, Main Street will be closed starting at 1 p.m. from Elliot and Second Streets until 10 p.m. The Railroad Avenue and Main Street intersection
will reopen when it is safe for pedestrians to cross safely unassisted.
Schedule of events
• Rotary Park (Railroad Avenue and Main Street) From 2 to 9 p.m., the Holiday Marketplace will feature face painting, a handson tie-dye activity, local
See TRACTORS, Page 4
A2 — Winters Express, Wednesday, November 29, 2023
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The Winters Holiday Tractor Parade is an annual tradition that goes ahead rain or shine. Thousands of visitors lined up and down Main Street in 2022 in a downpour to watch tractors parade the street decked out with lights and festive cheer.
Winters Wonderland event fosters local holiday spirit By Angela Underwood Express correspondent It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and Winters points it out perfectly. Beginning with the Winters Wonderland Elf Hunt and Cocoa Crawl, the annual event kicks off the holiday season in the community. Between the Holiday Tractor Parade route along Main Street and seeking out elves, it is impossible not to feel the season’s magic. Inesita Arce, an El Pueblo Meat Market & Taqueria owner, has been opening their doors to the parade since it started. “What we remember is that attendance was low, and we wondered if this event would be successful in the future?” Acre said. “We were so wrong.”
See SPIRIT, Page 5
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Local businesses hide elves inside their storefonts for visitors to find.
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A4 — Winters Express, Wednesday, November 29, 2023
The parade entry from Stumpy Trucking is a favorite among locals as it honors the memory of Winters resident Adam Davis. Linda Hightower/ Courtesy photo
TRACTORS Continued from Page 1 vendors with holiday gifts and toys, and holiday music. (El• Main Street liot Street to Second Street) From 2 to 9 p.m. enjoy food vendors and food trucks featuring a variety of cuisines, the Holiday Marketplace with more holiday-themed exhibitors, Solano Jumps with inflatable attractions and more family-fun activities. The Winters Downtown Business Association will host the fourth annual Winters Wonderland Elf Hunt and Cocoa Crawl from 4 to 7 p.m. First, check-in outside of the Farmer’s Closet (9 Main St.) to grab a Cocoa Crawl Passport and try some elf juice. Get ready to explore downtown Winters to discover hidden elves and sample hot cocoa at 15 local businesses. Back at Rotary Park, from 5 to 5:45 p.m., the Winters Middle School and Winters
High School bands will perform at the Gazebo. The annual Tree Lighting Ceremony begins at 6 p.m. Families can attend a meet-and-greet with Santa and friends at the Gazebo immediately following the Tree Lighting Ceremony until 9 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 2 Holiday Tractor Parade More festive activities are being hosted on Saturday, Dec. 2 starting at 10 a.m. in Rotary Park and at 2 p.m. at Winters City Park prior to the start of the annual Holiday Tractor Parade on Main Street.
Road closures/detours On Saturday, Main Street will close between Haven Street and Grant Avenue from 2 to 9 p.m. for parade staging. From 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Main Street will be closed between Elliot and First Streets, and Railroad Avenue will close between Abbey and Russell Streets.
From 3 to 9 p.m., Main Street and E. Main Street will close from Haven to Morgan Streets. Morgan Street will be closed from E. Main Street to E. Baker Street for the parade and dispersal. Fourth Street will remain open until 5:45 p.m. for traffic to flow across town during the staging portion before the parade. On Saturday, Police Chief John P. Miller said there will be a detour for north/south traffic on Fourth Street to facilitate traffic between Russell and Abbey Streets. This intersection will close at the beginning of the parade. All other north/ south streets will be closed to through traffic until after the parade and cleanup have finished. Exit route options include Grant Avenue (Hwy. 128) to I-505. The roundabout on Grant Avenue at Walnut Lane will be closed to only east and west traffic.The intersection at Grant and Railroad avenues
will be controlled by a public safety official. There will be no left turns except southbound Railroad Avenue to eastbound Grant Avenue. Winters PD highly recommends vehicles parked north of Grant Avenue and west of Railroad Avenue to consider these alternate exit routes: • Grant Avenue (Hwy. 128) to Pleasants Valley Road • Northbound Railroad Avenue (County Road 89) to County Road 29A to I-505 If parked south of Main Street, only exit southbound to Putah Creek Road as all north/south cross streets will be closed until after the parade and cleanup.
Schedule of events • Winters Community Center (201 Railroad Ave.) Winters Friends of the Library is hosting its annual Family Holiday Festival on Saturday, Dec. 2, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Winters Community Center. The event
features family-fun activities including student music performances, visiting with Santa and browsing adult and children’s books for purchase. A display of quilts by Winters quilters will be hung with care on the walls. Children and their families can make holiday crafts including rolling beeswax candles, making reindeer handprints, hammering out tin trivets, creating glittering ornaments and more. The Winters Fortnightly Club will have an assortment of handcrafted items for sale. Mrs. Claus’ Cafe will offer homemade soup, sandwiches and cookies to purchase for lunch. • Rotary Park (Railroad Avenue and Main Street) Outside in Rotary Park, the Holiday Marketplace will be back from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. featuring: face painting, a hands-on tie-dye activity, local vendors with holiday gifts and toys, holiday music, plus food trucks and
food vendors. • Winters City Park (between Fourth Street and Haven Street) Family-friendly fun is happening at Winters City Park from 2 to 9 p.m. featuring: food vendors and food trucks featuring a variety of cuisines, the Holiday Marketplace with more holiday-themed exhibitors, Solano Jumps with inflatable attractions and a petting zoo with Friendly Pony Parties and Barnyard Pals.
Tractor Parade
The Holiday Tractor Parade begins at 6 p.m. traveling from Haven Street to Morgan Street. This year’s parade features about 30 entries. A full listing is available at https:// tinyurl.com/56htnc3f. Families can attend a meet-and-greet with Santa and friends at the Gazebo, immediately following the Tree Lighting Ceremony, from 7:30 to 9 p.m.
Richard Wheeler/Courtesy photo
ABOVE: Glass Cactus, from the School of Rock, is a youth band that performs during the parade. BELOW RIGHT: Businesses set up cocoa sampling stations during the Winters Wonderland event.
Crystal Apilado/Winters Express
ABOVE: El Pueblo Meat Market and Taqueria owner Baldo Arce can often be found frying up freshly made churros during the holiday events on Main Street. RIGHT: Mariani Nut Co. first debuted a team of flying reindeer in 2021 and brought them back in last year’s parade. Crystal Apilado/ Winters Express
Winters Express, Wednesday, November 29, 2023 — A5
LEFT: Student bands from Winters Middle School and Winters High School will perform a holiday concert at the Rotary Park Gazebo on Friday. BELOW: Some businesses will have festive treats and drinks for purchase for the Winters Wonderland and Tractor Parade events. Crystal Apilado/ Winters Express
SPIRIT Continued from Page 3 At the following year’s parade, El Pueblo nearly ran out of food at their booth. That’s when the Arce family found the bond between business and community. “They both contribute to the success of the other,” Arce said. “It is a way for us to see the community bond over food, music, and, of course, the tractors.” Acre said the holiday weekend event reminds her family at the end of the other 363 days of the year; locals all want the same thing, which is to feel a part of something larger, to belong and to share the Winters spirit. That spirit drives the Winters Downtown Business Association (Winters DBA) to keep the annual Elf Hunt & Cocoa Crawl alive. Of all people, Courtney Stocking should know. The Hooby’s Brewing ownera got involved in the parade and event before opening the local business doors five years ago. “It is important for Hooby’s Brewing to be involved in any community event, big or small,” Stocking
said. “Participating shows how supportive businesses and individuals are dedicated to keeping our community’s traditions alive.” It’s also a time to mix nostalgia with novelty, according to Stocking. “By coming together, we can keep and create new growth and traditions for the community,” Stocking said. One of those newer traditions is the Elf Hunt and Cocoa Crawl. The search for the tiny mischievous elves starts at the Farmer’s Closet Boutique, where owner Lacy DeQuattro and family have event passports already prepared for hunters of all ages. DeQuattro, a business owner and a Winters DBA board member, came up with the idea a few years ago. However, the annual tractor parade inspired her and her husband Joe to open a second business location in Winters after attending the annual holiday event for more than a decade. “In the name alone, it tells you there is something special about the place, right?” DeQuattro said. “There is a small-town charm that makes you feel like you are in a Hallmark
movie when you step foot on our Main Street.” When it came to making a final decision on where to relocate, Main Street and the rest of Winters, nearly three square miles, beat out other possible second business locations, including Napa Valley. “You don’t see that when you pull up to the one stoplight in town, but there is so much more that Winters offers,” DeQuattro said.
Crystal Apilado/Winters Express
Start the Elf Hunt & Cocoa Crawl outside of the Farmer’s Closet Boutique (9 Main St.) to get the event passport. The map lists participating local businesses that have an elf hiding inside of the store. Select storefronts will have hot cocoa samples available to taste during the event from 4 to 7 p.m.
“You don’t see any big box stores, you don’t see any commercialized restaurants, everything is mom and pop owned minus Ace Hardware.” Once settled on Main Street herself, DeQuattro immediately got more involved. As a member of the Winters DBA, DeQuattro shared with board members her family’s fun experience at an elf hunt in Idaho. That was when the Winters Wonderland Elf Hunt and Cocoa Crawl tradition began with immediate, fullboard approval. Clad in red and green, DeQuattro and her sister Amber dressed as life-size elves and passed out elf hunt passports the first year. “We handed out so many little maps, and the kids were so excited,” she said. DeQuattro’s daughter Adaleigh (8) and niece Amber (8) now do the elf honors, beginning at 4 p.m. at the Farmer’s Closet, located at 9 Main St. “Our stop is the very first stop, so our kids give out the maps and elf power juice, which is simply green KoolAid,” DeQuattro said, of the event that ends at 7 p.m. One of the best parts of the event is the new clients that walk in the door, DeQuattro said. “We have locals come in that didn’t even know we existed,” DeQuattro said. “It’s a great way to get clients, but also a great way to give back to the community.” It is all about community for Carla Wroten and her husband Jamell, known as Mel among locals. The couple, who own Steady Eddy’s Coffee House and Roasting Room, open their coffee shop doors for the Winters Wonderland Elf Hunt and Cocoa Crawl. They also echo DeQuattro’s Hallmark movie sentiments. “We know how special our town is, and when we see tractors lit up at night, something magical happens,” Wroten said. “We
have seen this event grow year to year, and we believe it is now a part of our charm.” Wroten said the event highlights local farmers and businesses and community spirit, adding it also offers the opportunity to work with multiple nonprofit organizations. Not to mention the hunt for the tiny elves - usually decked out in red and white. “This evening is so festive, and the kids really enjoy walking around completing their passport,” Wroten said. The business owner has been behind the scenes of the event for years as a Winters District Chamber of Commerce member. Now, Wroten said she is working with city officials to get the word out about the event and encouraging residents and sponsors to get involved. “It takes a lot of city resources to make this event safe for everyone in town, so we need volunteers that evening to help with the route and help ensure the street stays clear for spectators,” Wroten said. DeQuattro’s only Christmas wish this year is that more locals attend the event. “So many people come from outside the area, but it’s in our backyard,” DeQuattro said. “Come down and experience the Christmas magic with us.” Arce agrees. “Let’s be real, the surrounding area, as the word has gotten out,” Arce said of the two-day event. “The event is an invitation to the Winters to come for one weekend in full swing and look around and see your neighborhood friends enjoying themselves just as much as you are and share in the joy of being proud you are a resident.” To learn more about the Winters Wonderland Elf Hunt and Cocoa Crawl and Holiday Tractor Parade events, visit discover winters.com/holidays.
A6 — Winters Express, Wednesday, November 29, 2023
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Winters students will put on a holiday performance during the Winters Friends of the Library ‘s Family Holiday Festival. Winters Friends of the Library/Courtesy photo
Creating memories at WFoL’s Family Holiday Festival As Winters begins to prepare for the holiday season, the members of the Winters Friends of the Library prepare for its annual Family Holiday Festival. Happening on Dec. 2, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Winters Community Center (201 Railroad Ave), WFoL leadership is excited to continue the tradition. The Community Center hosts a fun holiday event for all. The festival boasts students singing, Mrs Claus’ Cafe filled with desserts, savory sandwiches and minestrone soup, a book sale, a table by the Winters Fortnightly Club with handmade gift items, a meet and greet with Santa, and lots of crafts. Carol Scianna and Mary Lou Linvill, WFoL 2023 co-presidents, have both been working with the organization since the earlier years.
leaking was a big issue for the books. One of the things that originally drew Linvill to the library was her children. She found herself spending hours there with them. “When you have little kids, you know, you are actually looking for some social activities with other parents, or just adults,” Linvill said. Linvill explained that one of the previous renditions of the festival was a Christmas tree decorating festival allowing people to purchase pre-decorated trees. However, one lucky bidder could purchase a gift tree with thousands of dollars of collected items from local merchants. “For me, I wanted more,” Linvill said. “I always loved making things when I was a kid and I love making things with my children. So we got to change the focus a little bit and invite the schools to come and sing.”
Festival origins
Song of success
The library has come a long way since moving from the building that currently houses the Winters Museum, from not having a library for a time to finally having its own space in 2009. Both Scianna and Linvill were there for all the bumps along the journey. Scianna explained that while the shared museum space worked for a time, it didn’t last. “It was not great,” Scianna said. “Leaking roofs, we had to start covering the books with tarps, it was just a really sad small, small place. That was where the original festival started, so it was on a much smaller scale.” Linvill also points out that another issue that was going on with the library when it was housed in the museum was that it wasn’t able to be opened very often. While Linvill describes the old space as charming and describes a beautiful mural of birds, the roof
For WFoL, the key to a successful turnout was inviting the kids to come and sing. They had tried getting the word out to the community in other ways, but the turning point was making connections with the elementary school music teachers. “I would go beating on the doors of the elementary school,” Scianna said. “To try to get the teachers to get their classes. So sometimes you would only have like one class of first graders and it was a small group. Once in a while, you would get the whole first grade and so that was a big group and you’d get a lot more parents showing up.” They found that the key to sharing their event with the community was the music teachers; this brought plenty of kids and families to enjoy the festivities. Linvill explains that that has made a world of difference with this relatively new partnership. With that, the coordination of
By Amelia Biscardi Express staff writer
Winters Friends of the Library/Courtesy photo
Hand-crafted quilt creations are on display in the Winters Community Center to bring color and cheer. One of the regular holiday crafts includes creating a traditional pomander where children create designs by placing whole clove buds in an orange. the events, when there was bad weather last year was a bit of a learning curve. “They brought all their classes,” Linvill said. “The parents came ... and we didn’t really logistically figure out a way how one class would get off and another class would get on. But, I mean, we did it, and the teachers who were there really helped.” With last year’s event jam-
Winters Friends of the Library/Courtesy photo
ABOVE: Children let their creativity fly creating homeade ornaments, candle holders and other holiday crafts. RIGHT: The Winters Friends of the Library Family Holiday Festival is open to all ages. The event features a book sale and purchases support programs and event and the Winters Community Library.
packed, this year, according to Scianna, there are multiple plans to should ensure that there is space for everyone to enjoy their children singing and allow for children to do crafts.
Community fun While WFoL uses a multipronged approach to fundraising, as a nonprofit 501(c) one of the main ways they raise some funds at the Holiday Festival is through its used book sales. They prepare for it all year. When nicer books are donated throughout the year, they place them to the side for the holidays. But to Scianna, the event isn’t really a fundraising
event. They would like people to find a good used book, but that isn’t the focus. “We kind of cover expenses with the money that we raise,” Scianna said. “We do charge for the crafts, but usually most crafts are a dollar or two. We kind of break even pretty much at this event. We consider it more of a community service.” With volunteers’ help, they ensure that the community center is transformed into more of a home-like feel. One of the ways is by hanging up quilts made by the community on
See FESTIVAL, Page 5
Winters Express, Wednesday, November 29, 2023 — B5
Winters Friends of the Library/Courtesy photo
Books are available for children of all ages, as well as adults. The Winters Friends of the Library collects book donations year-round to prepare for the event.
FESTIVAL Continued from Page 4 the bare walls. While many things are for sale, the quilts are not. An eye is usually kept on them to ensure that all the glittery projects do not make their way into the fabric of these quilts. Volunteers bring berries, greenery, ribbons and trees to deck the center with all sorts of festive decor. As well as a corner for the kids to meet Santa Claus. For both Scianna and Linvill, there can be a lot of planning required for the event. But once it begins, they tend to find themselves sitting back and enjoying the ambiance. “Watching kids with Santa Claus is always fun,” Sci-
anna said. “And the kids singing, they’re always really wonderful to watch sing.” Meanwhile, Linvill reminisces over one of her favorite memories, one year of watching the children with crafts. “I was going through all my pictures of past festivals and I found this one ... there was a wonderful little boy in the neighborhood who was a great maker,” Linvill said. “He made all these little Christmas trees out of origami .... when the kids started decorating them, so many of them put little eyeballs all over them.” Scianna also enjoys watching the creative choices that the children manage to make with their craft projects. “The kids piling on the glitter, how much glitter
Winters Friends of the Library/Courtesy photo
Santa Clause makes a special visit during the event so children can share what gift wishes for Christmas and parents and grandparents can snap a photo of their visit. can you get on this piece of paper,” Scianna said. “That’s always fun, too.”
Volunteer opportunity WFoL is looking for community members to help support the success of the
Family Holiday Festival by volunteering on Dec. 2 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Volunteers can hep out in Mrs. Claus’ Café, at children’s craft tables, book and ticket sales or the take down after the event.
To get involved with WFoL, either for the Holiday Festival or any other event, contact its Volunteer Coordinator Linda Springer at 530-795-5001 or go online to wfol.org/ volunteer-with-wfol.
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B6 — Winters Express, Wednesday, November 29, 2023
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• PRE-1964 DIMES, QUARTERS & HALVES • 1965-1970 HALF DOLLARS • SILVER DOLLARS 1935 AND BEFORE • NO QUANTITY TOO LARGE OR TOO SMALL
DIAMONDS
Proudly serving Yolo and Solano Counties since 1995. We are a woman-owned family business that can take care of all your carpet cleaning needs.
• Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning • Tile & Grout Cleaning • Stone Cleaning
STOP ASKIN’ AND CALL CASSON! Call today for a FREE phone estimate!
WE ARE QUICK CASH BUYERS OF ALL DIAMONDS - INSTANT CASH OFFERS
Locally owned & operated since 1985
VALUE GOLD & SILVER EXCHANGE
219 Parker St. • Vacaville • 707-447-3231
RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL CARPET CLEANING
530.795.0500
www.cassoncarpetcare.com
B8 — Winters Express, Wednesday, November 29, 2023
CARRION PROPERTIES Residential, Commercial & Agricultural Real Estate
John M. Carrion, Owner/Broker CA DRE #: 00970701
RECIPIENT OF THE YOLO COUNTY ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS MASTERS CLUB SINCE 2012
(530) 795-3834
127 Carrion Court, Winters
HAPPY HOLIDAYS from all of us at
SolanoLifeHouse
Senior Home Specializing in Memory Care
FLAT FEE FOR LIFE
$4,950 - $5,950 Memory Care All Inclusive Pricing
2023
Awarded Best of Memory Care 7 years in a row! Administrator Mary Felix License #486801298 Mary@SolanoLifeHouse.com
(707) 640-9700
SolanoLifeHouse.com