SATURDAY, APRIL 29, 2023
Serving Winters, Yolo County and beyond for over 50 years with high quality Almonds and Walnuts.
Friday, April 29
9th Annual Duck Derby
• Putah Creek, behind Winters Community Center
• 5 p.m. — Final Duck sales and pre-float warmup
• 6 to 6:15 p.m. — Ducks go into the water and race their little rubber hearts out!
Youth Day Opening Ceremonies
• Green River Park (Green River Brewing & Taproom)
• Immediately following the conclusion of the Duck Derby race (tentatively 7 p.m.)
• Grand Marshal, Educator of the Year honorees
• Youth Day Royal Court Coronation
• Family Fun Night with DJ Barnett Entertainment
Saturday, April 30
Rotary Pancake Breakfast
• 6:30 – 9:30 a.m. at Winters Community Center
Kiddie Parade
• 8:45 a.m. Kiddie Parade Registration
• 9:45 a.m. Kiddie Parade starts down Main Street
Main Parade
• 10 a.m. This year’s parade route starts at
Fourth and Main streets. It will go down Main Street, turn left at First Street. The route ends at Edwards Street.
Kiddie Faire
• 12 to 4 p.m. at Little League field
Food and Crafts in the Park
• 12 to 4:30 p.m. at Winters City Park
WHS Alumni Baseball Game
• 1 p.m. at WHS varsity baseball field
Parade awards
• 2 p.m. on Winters City Park stage
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Winters Express
Winters Youth Day was originally founded to teach young people about city government.
According to longtime Youth Day Parade Chairman Mike Sebastian, the event was started in 1933 by Reverend Charles Barkman and Winters High School Principal A.M. Herron for the purpose of teaching high school students about how a city and elections operate.
For the first 50 years, students ran an election at the high school to begin the process to be elected to local government positions on the Youth Day Council by their peers. The elected students would spend
time during the school day to shadow their counterparts on the Winters City Council for a week and in later years, would run a council meeting and pass resolutions. Then, on the final Saturday of April, the youth council members would be honored by the parade, where they would ride alongside the city council.
While the practice of shadowing their counterparts hasn’t happened in a while, students are still given an opportunity to have a luncheon with them. On occasion, the elected students will also take a trip to the state capitol. Superintendent Rody Boonchouy expressed interest in trying to shift back to getting students more involved and giving them an opportunity to experience local government happenings in future years.
The Youth Day Royal Court has been a long-standing tradition since the second Youth Day celebration in 1934 when Mildred Clark was honored as the first Sweetheart. The Youth Day Sweetheart tradition has continued on each celebration, and in 2005 Winters High School students elected Piedad Junoz as the first Sweethunk.
Each of the WHS Class nominates a Prince and Princess to represent their year on the
Royal Court. From those eight candidates, a Sweetheart and a Sweethunk are chosen. The Royal Court is recognized at the Opening Ceremony the Friday before Youth Day, and they participate in the Main Parade.
The 2023 Youth Day Royal Court includes Sweetheart Serena Husted and Sweethunk Luca Navarette. The Princesses are Mayra Lopez, Sabrina Rivas and Cheyenne Williams. The Princes include Alex Garcia, Ashton Baylor and Ramon Lopez.
By Aaron Geerts Express staff writer
Youth Day teems with a variety of fun traditions
Winters natives have enjoyed for years, but none quite compare to the Youth Day Main Parade. The Winters Friends of the Library (WFoL) Marching Band and Dance Troupe are among the most unique and creative entrants that comprise the parade and they’re tuning up once again to add to the fun of this generational event.
It all started with an idea and play on sound. The organization hosts an annual holiday festival in December. One day in 2006, WFoL member Sally Brown was selling raffle tickets for the event when she talked to Dave Flemming who had the idea for WFoL (pronounced ‘wiffle’) to not only enter the parade, but host a WFoL Ball the night of Youth Day at the Palms. With such a great pun and a greater idea, the group went to work on turning that idea into reality.
“We thought that was a funny idea, so that year in 2006, we convinced at least a dozen women to put on some ball gowns. But we created jewelry out of wiffle balls like tiaras, necklaces and earrings and we got all decked out in that attire,” explained Brown. “The idea started getting some momentum, but it wasn’t going to be just a bunch of ladies in the parade, so we decided we wanted to add a marching band too. So, one day Dave and I were having coffee outside of Steady Eddy’s and we saw
Keith
a local musician
plays in a bunch of bands, so we called him over and told him our idea and how we want the WFoL in the parade. He was super excited about it and helped us get it all started.”
The group then strung together a hodgepodge of talent that’s now known as the WFoL Marching Band and Dance Troupe. They rehearsed at the Palms, sported their snazzy, handmade attire, and went on to win in their category on their very first Youth Day appearance in 2006.
Although the WFoL Ball fizzled out after a couple of
years, the band and dance troupe have been showcasing the creative prowess of WFoL — and winning in their category — ever since.
The Band marches on “A big year for us was 2009 when the theme was ‘Wild West Youth.’ We flipped that theme on its head and came out as space cowboys like the Steve Miller Band song. That was also the year we moved into the new library, so that was a big deal for us,” said Brown. “Another fun year was 2011 and we were inspired by this musical in San Francisco called ‘Beach Blanket Babylon,’ and in it, they had these giant hats.
That year, our song was ‘Puttin’ on the Ritz’ and we put on our giant hats that were inspired by a book of our choosing. The thing about that year, the wind was blowing like crazy! So, we all had to do reconstruction and put hard hats on underneath with chin straps and we ended up winning the whole Youth Day sweepstakes. It seems like the years we have the most fun putting our outfits together are the years we win it all.”
While every Youth Day features a different theme, the WFoL
“There are no other entries in the parade like us, and the purpose of the dancers — and the band — is to attract people to WFoL and to remind people that the library is about having fun. It’s more than about reading and studying, and this is a way to bring attention to this organization and all the fun programs we have to offer.”
Jo Crescent, WFoL memberMarching Band and Dance Troupe feature a different song they play and dance to. While the musical needs are now handled by Eric Jepsen, the original musical chairman of the band and dance troupe is none other than Keith Cary.
“This band is unique because it can appeal to someone who hasn’t played their instrument since last year to having one or two semi-professionals joining us and improvising. And they all have a good time,” explained Cary. “We’ve
had high school students, too, and I love the age range we appeal to. We have people in the band from 17 to 77.”
Although Cary has passed on the musical responsibilities, he recalls vividly when they were all his. Essentially, Cary would pick a recognizable song, get a melody sheet and put the year’s music together along with making sure instruments were provided to everyone who wanted to play in the band. From there, it was simply a matter of getting the band together for not just
practice, but creative brainstorming for what their Youth Day performance will entail.
“The big thing happens the first day we get together (as) the core group of around 10 of us. We can always count on them to come up with the arrangements on the fly and say, ‘Oh, let’s do this part twice or that part once.’ And this all happens in about 15 minutes,” said Cary. “Then the next few practices are just fine-tuning what we come up with. Every year it goes that way. I’d say we have about Wade’s Construction was licensed in 1984, making us a 35-year-old family owned and operated business. Our construction team is made up of hands-on craftsmen who perform all the tasks necessary to complete your home.
three or four practices total a few weeks before Youth Day and we owe it all to Sally. Even though she’s not one of the musicians, she hosted the practices from the very first time and had drinks and chips and everybody would come. The practices have always been happy, fun events.”
According to Cary, the band itself is usually comprised of a few trombone players, trumpet players, saxophone players, percussionists, a banjo, and ukulele players with Cary himself being a tuba player. The idea behind this magical mix of music is to emulate the marching bands one would see walking through New Orleans.
With that copious amount of high energy and flair to mimic, it’s a good thing the WFoL Marching Band has a
“[I]t wasn’t going to be just a bunch of ladies in the parade, so we decided we wanted to add a marching band too.”
Sally Brown, WFoL member
Dance Troupe to complement the music. After seeing how much fun the Marching Band and Dance Troupe was having back when it all started in the mid2000s, Jo Crescent couldn’t help but hop on board and has been a key facilitator of the dance troupe ever since.
“There are no other entries in the parade like us, and the purpose of the dancers — and the band — is to attract people to WFoL and to remind people that the library is about having fun. It’s more than about reading and studying, and this is a way to bring attention to this organization and
all the fun programs we have to offer,” said Crescent before delving into the unique, handmade costumes the group’s known for. “The costumes showcase our creativity. We’re not just going to buy something off the rack, and we’ve had some interesting themes to work with over the years. Of course, we love making ball gowns, and we have a superstition that we’re more likely to win when we wear them,” Crecent said.
To Crescent, one of her favorite parts of the whole process is getting together to create the costumes. From brainstorming what
they may look like to the quality time spent making them, Crescent and company pour their creativity and passion into these individualistic outfits — all for the sake of fun.
“We’ve had people come in, in the past to help us with the dance troupe’s choreography, but it’s difficult to do. People come in with choreographed ideas or we see something in videos, and we all just
work to make something simple during practice that’ll keep us moving and be appropriate for everyone on Youth Day,” said Crescent. “It’s all very collaborative from the dance practice to costume-making. It’s a real effort and nobody does it by themselves. But the best part about all this is how many people I’ve met since joining WFoL. We’ve just had so much fun together.”
To learn more about WFoL, stay up-to-date with their events or get involved, check out its website at wfol.org. One can also follow tis social media accounts by searching @winters_ wfol on Instagram and Winters Friends of the Library on Facebook. Or visit the Winters Community Library (708 Railroad Ave.) to inquire in person about upcoming opportunities and programs.
Look for the Winters High School Future Farmers of America California State Fair Gold Medal Extra Virgin Olive Oil and our products at our favorite Winters establishments; Turkovich Family Wines Tasting Room, Pacific Ace Hardware, and Steady Eddy’s Coffee House, all in Downtown Winters! Also at the Woodland Farmer’s Market starting May 13th (https://www.thewoodlandfarmersmarket.org/)
Saturday 9:00 AM in front of the Woodland Library on First Street and by mail order at https://ciarlofruitnut.com or phone (530) 304-2605.
In it’s first year, WFoL’s Marching Band and Dance Troupe’s theme was “WFoL (Wiffle) Ball at the Palms” in 2006.
Music · Food · Entertainment
School of Rock plays all day. We will have a cornhole tournament and BBQ in the park.
Green River Brewing & Taproom is a family owned business that is committed to delivering a unique and fun-filled location to the town of Winters and its surrounding communities.
Join us for weekly events, live music and more both in our Park on the outdoor stage and inside our restaurant lounge.
History of Youth Day as compiled by students in the late 60s and provided to the Express by parade officials. The summaries for Winters Youth Day between 1968-1990 and 2011-2018 were compiled by Mike Sebastian. Express staff have served as historians since.
Back in 1933 Rev. C. P. Barkman, local Presbyterian pastor, and Dr. A. M. Herron, high school principal had a consultation. They discussed a lot of ideas and held some conferences. The observance of the first Youth Day began April 29, 1933.These professionals believed that youth should have some training for future civic, business and social obligations. They also had heard the adage about all work and no play, etc. The two founders incorporated support for a parade, competitive games,
a bountiful picnic luncheon and general sociability along with a citizenship program to accomplish their aims. They enlisted business and social organizations’ help.
1934
Modes of conveyance were used in various forms, with the horse and buggy much in evidence. There were single and double rigs, horseback riders, buggies, and surreys in the trappings of the Gay 90’s; baby buggies of yesterdays and toy wagons. The parade was said to be a half mile long. Union District school took first prize. Doctor Ira. B. Cross, head of economics at the University of California, was speaker, and Anack Carando was mayor. Councilmen were Bill Sale, Bill Duncan, Burt Scribner, Philip Ritchie and Roger Riesbeck; clerk was Millicent Burge; treasurer was Martha Fenn; and judge was Vernon Hannon.
1935
Fifty entries took part in the parade and for the first time neighboring towns entered floats. Bill Duncan was mayor and Judge Grant Burton gave a speech on citizenship and America.
1936
Governor Frank Merriam was the guest speaker on the Possibilities of Youth. The governor remained for the night show. Eddie Baker was mayor.
1937
Lt. Governor Hatfield was the speaker, and the mayor was Herman Meyer. Councilmen were: Goodwin Horigan, Alicia Conard, Willie Guthrie, Douglas Fenley, Jack McKenzie, Herbert Connor Jr.; clerk was Barbara Gwartney; treasurer was Elda Button; and judge was Rene Rossi.
1938
It rained that year, but a thousand peo-
ple attended. Rev. Barkman had departed to another field of labor, and Dr. A. M. Herron took over the general chairmanship. For the first time, guest mayors were chosen from other schools. They were among the guests on the platform at the citizenship hour. Oscar Holmes was acting mayor and Dr. T. W. McQuarrie, head of San Jose Teachers’ College, was the speaker, Councilmen were: Mildred Thomson, Laura Gale, Bettymae Niemann, Violet Siranian, Jack Muro and Wayne Sharp; Jean Wehrman was clerk; Wayne Clark, judge; Jean Griffin, treasurer. Elwin Martin was chairman of the evening show.
1939
A new attraction and one in which many were interested was the model airplane contest, directed by W. R. Pugh. Jack Mermod was mayor and Judge John Pullen gave a fine speech about Youth in the Changing World. Councilmen were:
Robert Gale, Edgar Yarberry, Alfonso Carrion and Boyd Hall; clerk, Bert Coman; Henry Gutierrez, treasurer; and Harry Fredericks, judge.
1940
Administering civic affair for the day were Don Clark, George Pede, Claire Peterson, Dorothy Martin, Alfonso Carrion, Bert Coman and Elmer Scott. A new feature was the SCAL track meet that drew many spectators in the afternoon. Edgar Yarberry was the mayor for the day.
1941
A record crowd of 2,500 was present. The last prewar observance was the 1941 Youth Day. An attractive evening show was given by the Northern California WPA Negro Chorus, presented by Elmer Keeton. Ted Mermod was elected as Youth Day mayor, but because he had the mumps, his good friend, Charley Graf, stood in for him that day.
Pacific Hardware is owned and operated by the McKenzie family who has a long history in retailing. In 1893 W.D. McKenzie founded the Monticello General Mercantile Co. located in the town of Monticello, California. Albert McKenzie, W.D.’s son, took over the business and operated the store until 1956 when he evacuated his property when the valley was flooded with water and turned into Lake Berryessa. In June 1957, Albert McKenzie Sr. (Bruz) and his son Albert Jr. (Sandy) took over ownership and management of the Pacific Hardware store on Merchant Street, Vacaville and on January 1, 2006 they acquired Kimes ACE Hardware in downtown Winters as well. No longer owned by Bruz and Sandy, the stores are now owned by David McKenzie (Sandy’s son) and Scott McKenzie (Jim’s son). Although the stores’ location and merchandise continue to change, the folks at Pacific Hardware have the same dedication to customer service that W.D. had 100 years ago.
A monster parade and program full of events marked the first observance in five years. Henry Church was mayor. Officials were: Albert Koolhoff, Donald Romin-ger, Marilyn Vasey, Kenneth Farnsworth, Marian Cecil, Bob Gardner and John Griffin. Henry Votaw, representative sent by Governor Earl Warren, gave a brief message.
The crowd was estimated at between 5,000 and 6,000 people. Lloyd Islip was mayor and Marlene Hague was sweetheart. The evening program was a variety show by the high school, aided by Dixon, Davis, Vacaville and Esparto talent.
The streets were jammed with people as the three-mile parade came down Main Street. Tom Lewis was the mayor, with Jean Adams selected as sweetheart. Tom Washabaugh was judge. City councilmen were Joe Mayes, Alfred Graf, Larry Warren and Doyle Pinkston. Other officials were: Tom Potter, clerk; Henry Kato, city
engineer; and Bob Gardner, treasurer.
1949
Herman Ramos was Youth Day mayor; Anna Reiff was judge and Bob Draper, city clerk. Officials were; Pat Biasi, Wanda Henley, Jean Ramos, Jim Snodgrass, Keith Farnsworth, Manuel Ramos, L. Welch, L. Warren, Eugene Gale and M. Clark. For the first time since 1936 Winters was honored by having the governor of California, Earl Warren, for Youth Day. Aerial bombs, two of them, heralded the start of the day. Five thousand people attended.
Juliann Burket, Youth Day sweetheart, and Larry Warren, Youth Day mayor were the dignitaries for the day. Newton Wallace was general chairman. Peter Knoles spoke; he was vice president of Sacramento Junior College. Governor Warren was the honored guest, and the parade was an estimated four miles long. About 7,000 people attended Youth Day, and 2,500 were at the night show. The date for Youth Day that year was April 28.
The Class of 2011 shows off their Class Color pride and ask viewees if they CAN CAN say Orange in its 2009 Youth Day parade
Shawn Collins/Winters Express map ToLake Berryessa& LakeSolano
Winters Youth Day celebrates its 85th event with one of the nest parades in Northern California and a day full of fun and festivities.
The 85th Youth Day Parade will again march down historic Main Street in the City of Winters on Saturday, April 29, 2023 from 10:00-11:30 a.m. on Main Street.
• Parade horse trailer parking on Cody Street.
• Horses line up on Haven Street.
• Humans line up on Main Street westward from City Park.
Want to join the Kiddie Parade?
Be at the corner of 4th and Main at 8:45 a.m.
9:15 a.m. Pre-judging of entries begins.
Parade heads down Main Street.
1951
The general chairman was Bob Johnson; Mrs. Jean Frank was secretary. The mayor was Doyle Pinkston. Sam Fernandez was judge. Patsy Conner was clerk, Elsie Griffin was treasurer. Roger Deas, research secretary to Governor Earl Warren, was the speaker at the citizenship program. The Youth Day sweetheart was Rosemarie McKenzie. There was a baseball game and the parade route was changed in order to keep Railroad Avenue open for highway traffic.
1952
Angie Biasi was unanimously chosen as sweetheart in 1952. Mike Ireland won the Youth Day slogan contest with “Today’s Youth.” John Carbahal was chosen mayor. Dorothy Watterson was city clerk; Ira Day, city treasurer; and the city councilmen were: Pat Rohenkohl, Jim Kozen, George Burket and John Brinck. The attendants were Lona Cody, Anita Ramos, Edwin Potter, Nelda Bur-ket. The kiddie parade tradition was started this year. Robert R. Gros, manager of the advertising and publicity of Pacific Gas and Electric Company, was the speaker at the citizenship program. This was the sixth year that Tony Koester of KFBK broadcast the citizenship program.
1953
The mayor was John Mayhew and the sweetheart was Sharon Goetze. The general chairman was Lloyd Adams. Max Baer, former world’s heavyweight champion, was the master of ceremonies at the evening program. The University of California at Berkeley’s 65 piece band gave a concert on the high school grounds after the citizenship program. They were directed by James Berdall.
1954
The population of Winters was 1,300 and 3,000 people attended the night show. Carl Ramos was chosen mayor. Carmen Cuberos was Youth Day sweetheart. Joe Verducci, director of athletics at San Francisco State, was the speaker at the citizenship program. Miss Patsy Speeder, champion baton twirler, was chosen as the main attraction at the night show.
1955
Pearl Martin was chosen sweetheart. The theme was “Count Your Blessings,” entered by Linda Owings. The mayor was Ray Johnson. The master of ceremonies at the night show was Jack Burton. Some 2,200 people turned out for the program.
1956
The theme was “Storyland.” The sweetheart was Ann Martin, and the mayor was Dale Corbett. The judge was Jean Schroeder, clerk was Bob Kozen, treasurer was Daphine Constant. The master of ceremonies of the night show as Eddie Bartell. A hobby show was held in the high school library. An estimated 8,500 people attended Youth Day, one of whom was Rev. Barkman, Youth Day founder.
1957
The Mayor was Jim Hyer and the Sweetheart was Isabel Rojo. The attendants were Gloria Molina, Janet Martin, Alice Guerard and Lynn Gaddini. The theme was “Youth is Golden.” Some 5,000 people attended the festivities. Don Frisbee was general chairman. There were 10 bands in the parade. Fran O’Brien was emcee for the night show.
1958
The general chairman for this year was William E. Duncan. Russell Arms was the grand marshal for the parade. There were
an estimated 5,000 people who participated in the Youth Day activities. Knox Kirkland announced a magnificent horse show. Linda Owings was the sweetheart, and David Sparks the mayor.
1959
Ian MacKenzie was the general chairman. James West was elected mayor. In the parade, which was dampened by showers, the Youth Day officials rode in a horseless carriage furnished by the Sacramento Horseless Carriage Club. Sweetheart Janet Martin was accompanied by her four lovely attendants, Elaine Martin, Darla Guthrie, Charlene Rice and Betty Ann Carrion. Some 4,500 people participated in the day’s events.
The Winters youth were placed in charge of Youth Day in this year, under the guidance of Miles Wemp, high school counselor. The Chamber of Commerce no longer ran Youth Day, but they continued to contribute financially to the enterprise. The first youth to have the honor of general chairman bestowed on him was Robert Young. The Youth Day mayor was John Martinez and the sweetheart was Lynn Gaddini, along with Anna Manas, Pat Allsip, Judy Allsip and Roulou Reeves as sweetheart attendants. The council invited Governor Edmund G. Brown to attend the festivities, but unfortunately he was unable to do so.
1961
The Youth Day General Chairman was Gene Ramos. The Mayor was George Duncan and Juanita Estepa was chosen sweetheart, along with Joanne Martinez, Geraldine Martin, Janet Watterson, and Carol Perkins, attendants. Winters had a parade which
consisted of nine divisions. Dr. A. M. Herron, youth founder, was chosen to be the Grand Marshal.
1962
General Chairman was Steve Meyer. The Mayor, Jim Thomas, chose Joe Young, Douglas Baldridge, Byron Randolph, and Leland Jeffery as his councilmen. The sweetheart, Betty Carrion, was accompanied by Dannie Greenwood, Barbara Holmes, Geraldine Diaz, and Janet Watterson. “Tomorrow’s Future Through Today’s Youth” was the Youth Day theme. It was left up to the youth to choose a desirable theme for this festive event.
1963
Bob Chapman was chosen to be Mayor and alongside him stood Geraldine Martin as sweetheart. Robert Harris was the General Chairman for this year. The three councilmen chosen were Wilson Wallace, Dick Graf and Don Schroeder. Some 6,000 persons were on hand at the day’s activities.
1964
Don Schroeder was the General Chairman. Don Dote represented Winters High School as Youth Day Mayor, with Barbara Holmes as sweetheart. Her attendants were Joan Chapman, Diana Storz, Linda White, and Beverly Diaz. Winters was proud to have Congressman Robert Leggett attend Youth Day. Dr. Max Rafferty, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, was also present.
1965
David Wemp was General Chairman this year.
Tommy Ramos was chosen Mayor. Gaylene Ichtertz was chosen sweetheart and her attendants were Nancy Button, Carol Gomez, Ann Buck-master, and Dannie Greenwood.
1966
Joe Martinez was General Chairman. Floyd Shimomura, Mayor, escorted Sweetheart Deanne Gomez. Deanne’s attendants were Karen Humphrey, Lorraine Rominger, Kim Greenwood, and Rosanne Turkovich.
1967
General Chairman was Peter Hunter. Rudy Rodriguez was Mayor, and on his council were Bill Young, Jim Fredericks, and Stan Clark. Claudette Maxim reigned as sweetheart, and beside her were Kathy Roberts, Virginia Roberts, Lola Ramos, and Susan Shimomura, attendants. The parade was improved with 120 entries, which made for a unique parade size. A Greased Pig Contest was added to our list of events.
1968
General Chairman Joe Ramos and Parade Chairman Tony Turkovich saw that the day ran smoothly. Stan Kato was elected Mayor, with Joyce Warren as Sweetheart. City Council members included Beverly Atherton, Ray Clark, David Storz, Linda Martinez and John Hart. The First Youth Day Kiddie Show took place for talented kids 13 and under. An estimated 7,000 people enjoyed the events this year.
1969
Charley Wallace was elected Mayor,
with Candy Trafican as Sweetheart. City Council members for the day were Robert Kayton, John Martin, Eva Adams, Ernie Frost. New events scheduled were a skydiving exhibition and a street dance. 7,500 People were in Winters for the festivities, according to General Chairman Bill Martin and Parade Chairman Howard Kato.
Mayor Archie Humphrey presided over Youth Day with his council Pat Taylor, David Carrion, Bill Harrington, Gloria Lopez Andrea Kammerer and Rhonda Williams. Other officers included Ken Galloway, Judge: JoAnn Pitts, Treasurer and Larry Fisher, Clerk. The 1970 Sweetheart was Patty Hoskins. Her court included Gail Holabird, Sheila McGuire, Margie McGuire, and Veronica Roybal.
Ellen Kammerer reigned as Youth Day Sweetheart with her court Susan Reimers, Pam Lopez, Dana Duncan and Bernice Ramos. Richard Soto served as Mayor and Stan Tufts was General Chairman. Events added to the schedule included a watermelon eating contest. A large crowd of 7,000 attended this year.
Randy Washabaugh was elected Youth Day Mayor. Selected as his council were John Carbahal, Ricky Baker, Danny Martinez, Cecilia Aguiar and Patty Rominger. Mr. and Mrs. Elwin Martin were chosen as Grand Marshals for the Parade in which 7,000 people watched. Debbie Gomez was crowned as Sweetheart.
Joe Zaragoza took the place of City Mayor Losoya for the day. The Sweetheart was Sheila Pinkston, with her attendants Linda Keith, Glenda Estes, Ilda Garcia and Cheryl Lorenzo. General Chairman Michael Smyth estimated crowds at over 7,000.
Retired Winters Ag Teacher Lindsay Jewett led the Youth Day Parade as Grand Marshal. Joe Rominger served as General Chairman with Rene Mayes as his assistant. Ralph Rosas was elected Mayor, and Pilar Jimenez was Sweetheart. Her attendants included Glenda Tucker, Kathy Martin, Margie Shugart and Cindy Izzo. A record crowd of 700 people ate at the annual Rotary Club Breakfast.
Tim Snow was elected Mayor, with his council Mike Biasi, Jesse Lizarraga, Paula Ramos, Ed Carbahal and Cyndi Garcia. 1975 Sweetheart was Connie Javier. Her attendants included Diana Rubio, Rosie Rojas, Jennifer Franke and Stephanie Smyth. New events scheduled were a Live band and two baseball games. Jack Vasey, WHS Class of 1908, and his sister Mary Walters, WHS Class of 1907, rode as Grand Marshals of the Parade, of which 6,500 people watched.
Darla Humphrey was crowned Sweetheart, with her court Patti Biasi, Kathy Graf, Sandy Wolever and Litza Thanos.
Randy
His Council included Tim Geerts, Andrew Skaggs, Lynn Brickey, Manuela Collado and Nancy Thomas. Manuela Collado also served as General Chairman, with Bill Cody her assistant. A crowd of over 7,000 was estimated for the day.
Tim Geerts was elected Youth Day Mayor and Debbie Rojo was chosen Sweetheart. City Councilmen for the day were Clay Walker, Kelly Figy, Sarj Singh, David Snow, Keely Graf, Jeff Ingles, Ramon Lopez, Fred Turkovich, Diane Sawyer and Dan Rominger. Sweetheart attendants included Susan Martin, Lisa Ramos, Jody Graf, and Sherry Donaldson. Longtime Winters auto dealer E.J. Graf served as Parade Grand Marshal. Word was also received that the first Youth Day Mayor Bill Poppe had passed away.
Bob Pisani took charge as General Chairman with Keri Graf his assistant. Levada Russell was the chosen Sweetheart with Melicia Ramos, Jennifer Muller, Wendy Gale and Keri Graf as attendants.
The 1978 Youth Day Mayor was Andrew Skaggs. His council included Grace Rosas, Shannon Martinez, Jack McDowell and David Lane. High School Athletic Director John Kammerer rode as Parade Grand Marshal. A record crowd of 900 people jammed the City Hall lawn for the Rotary Pancake Breakfast.
Keri Graf was a very busy person. She was elected Sweetheart as well as running Youth Day as General Chairman. Sam Biasi Jr. served as Mayor. Council members were Ed George, Ed Cody, Manuel Montenegro, Rob Warren, Britt Busby and Rex Mayes Jr. Sweetheart attendants included Gail Losoya, Helen Hemenway, Heather Konkle and Kathy Carrion. Corinne Martinez was Assistant General Chairman, in preparation for next year’s chairmanship.
Mayor Mark Webster and Sweetheart Helen Hemenway took top honors this year. Helen’s attendants were Nikki Rojo, Carol Chambers, Rhonda Spurling and
Dawn Harris. Appointed City Councilmembers were George Griffin, Ben Geerts, Rex Mayes, Jeff Ingles, Mike Pisani and Scott Panzich. General Chairman Corinne Martinez was assisted by Andra Sawyer. The Youth Day Parade has 145 entries; one of the largest in quite a few years.
Andra Sawyer served as General Chairman with Michael Delbar her assistant. Matt Brickey was elected Mayor and Jennifer Muller was crowned Sweetheart. Other elected officers included John Singh, clerk; Mike Sebastian, Treasurer; and Sean Eldridge, Judge. Sweetheart attendants were Sharon Wright, Stacy Stewart, Lisa Adams, and Claudette Adams. A special show, “This is your Life” was done for longtime Winters Music Teacher Lloyd Adams. The 1st annual Lloyd Adams Music Award was introduced and was given to Outstanding Senior Musician Michael Sebastian.
Sweetheart Carol Baylor reigned over Youth Day, with her attendants Robin
Swigert, Kristen Smith, Karen Whalen and Linda Jimenez. Richard Warren was elected Youth Day Mayor and appointed the following council: Jim Borba, John Lucero, Noel Carbahal, Gary Lambeth, Mickey Johnston, Jim Barbosa and Mike Randsdell. Other elected officials were City Clerk Cyndi Griffin, Judge Sean Eldridge, and Treasurer Veronica Carrasco. Michael Delbar served as General Chairman, with Patty Thomas his Assistant.
Due to Dwindling interest at Winters High School, Youth Day was taken over this year by the Winters Chamber of Commerce. The whole format will stay the same, with the Chamber handling the organizational part of Youth Day. Chamber President Mel Norman served as Adult General Chairman, and Patty Thomas was student assistant. Youth Day was extended to a three-day event to accommodate a Carnival. The Carnival is a big financial booster for Youth Day. High school students elected to City offices were Ralph Gonzales, Mayor; City Clerk Dawn Harris,
Judge Daniel Lares, and Treasurer Martha Zarate. Cara Hill was chosen Sweetheart with her court Julie Underwood, Carol Taylor, Nicole Ramos and Tammy Lambeth. Doctors Corbin and Ernie Young were chosen as Parade Grand Marshals, but sadly Corbin was killed in a plane crash the week after being selected. Ernie still rode as Grand Marshal, with a moment of silence being held for Corbin.
Gilbert Sebastian was chosen as Adult General Chairman with Tecy Philbrook the Student Assistant. Mayor John Campos and Sweetheart Charmaine Capps reigned over the festivities. Marion and Julia West rode as Parade Grand Marshals, with over 140 entries following behind. The largest parade in years was chaired by adult Mike Sebastian and student Kristen Smith. City Councilmembers elected for the day were Laurie Gray, Yolanda Delgado, Louanne Strom, Jenny Nicholson, and Cami Dandini. The Sweetheart attendants were Schell Philbrook, Nicole Ramos, Candace Lunsford and Chrissy Hill.
Support this year’s event. Send donations to: Winters Youth Day, PO Box 652, Winters, CA 95694
Brian Duncan was elected Mayor, making him a third generation Youth Day Mayor. His father George was Mayor in 1961, and his grandfather Bill Duncan was Mayor in 1935. Brian’s council included Rosalynd Atherton, Elizabeth Cushman, Tania Burr, and Christy Laukkanen. Sweetheart Eva Leal was crowned, with her court Ellen Hale, Isabel Campos, Lidia Rodriguez and Jenny Ramos.
Youth Day celebrates its Golden Anniversary. Due to the cancellation of Youth Day during the World War II years, we now celebrate the 50th Anniversary. Gilbert Sebastian served as General Chairman once again with his assistants Denise Ehnat and Michelle Delbar. Elected as Mayor was Richard Nitzkowski. His council included Rob Paschoal, Cliff Paul and Juan Vasquez.
Front Row (L-R): Guadalupe, Kyera and Regina
2nd Row (L-R): Sarahi, Lydia, Jessica, Sylvia, Staci and Ramon
Back Row (L-R): Sammy, John, Max, Gilbert
Our family and our employees are proud to have supported Winters Youth Day for over 83 years. The
Sweetheart was Isabel Campos, with her court Kerrie Carner, Christina Vasquez, Teresa Rodriguez and Crystal Reid. Parade Grand Marshals were Marge Singleton and Mary Lee Pokrywka, daughters of Youth Day Co-founder Dr. A.M. Herron. Due to the special nature of the 50th Anniversary there were honorary Grand Marshals as well. They were: 1933 Police Chief Earl Washabaugh, 1935 Youth Day Mayor Bill Duncan, Felicia Diaz, Howard and Germaine Hupe and the Winters Volunteer Fire Department.
Tom Martin took charge as General Chairman with his student assistant Wendy Pierce. Enrique Jimenez was elected Youth Day Mayor and Lidia Rodriguez was Sweetheart. City Council members were Dan Martinez, John Aguiar, Rob Paschoal, Leticia Garcia, Wendy Pierce and Virginia Rosas.
Sweetheart attendants included Julia Reid, Christina Vasquez, Yasmin Fragoso and Lupe Barrera. Retired Winters Fire Chief Vernon C. Bruhn was Parade Grand Marshal. A Bike Race was added to the list of events.
1988
Winters Youth Day saw its first female Youth Day Mayor. Julia Reid was elected to the city’s top post for the day. Her council included Jennifer Snyder, Sonia Cortes, Jennifer Smith and Virginia Snyder. Jenny Ramos was crowned Sweetheart, with her attendants Christy Lozano, Molly Mariani, Debbie Carrion and Alejandra Herrera. David Faustino from television’s Married...With Children, and his brother Michael (Touchstone Pictures’ Monster Squad) were the featured guests at the Parade and the Opening Ceremonies.
1989
Virginia Rosas takes top
L-R: Marilyn, Carol, Angela, John, Christine.
The people at Berryessa Sporting Goods are getting ready to help you have a great Youth Day. “We have everything you need to entertain family and friends,” said John Lorenzo. “If you’re going fishing or hunting, we have everything you’ll need, from bait to clothing. We have a large selection of liquor, wine and beer, all reasonably priced, with weekly specials on your favorite brands,” John added. Berryessa
honors this year as Mayor, with her council Estela Rosas, Maria Cerros, Lupe Morales and Lupe Barrera. Sweetheart Carolyn Garcia was crowned, with her court Elvira Ochoa, Lupe Barrera, Laini Nance and Jennifer Snyder. Tom Martin was General Chairman and Carnival Chairman with Gloria Marion as his assistant, taking charge of all other events except the Parade. Parade Chairmen were Mike Sebastian and Jim Marion. Retired Winters School Bus Driver Dorothy Becker rode as Grand Marshal.
Citing their many years of involvement with youth and sports, the Youth Day council selected Rudy and Linda Rodriguez to be co-marshals for the parade on April 28. Members of the City Park Playground Committee were chosen to ride in the parade as honorary grand marshals. General
Chairman of Youth Day was Jim Marion, and Mike Sebastian, parade chairman. Annette Connelly served as mayor with council members Rita Guzman, Art Mendoza, Marla Larson, Shannon Kent and Ana Espinoza. Sweetheart Heidi Erickson reigned over Youth Day with her court of attendants:
senior, Jennifer Smith; junior, Yesenia Espinoza; sophomore, Maria Rodriguez, and freshman, Evelyn Fischer. Four dignitaries from Winters sister city, Almogia, Spain, (Mike Ruiz, Angel Rubio, Cristobal Torre Blanca and Manuel Garrido) were guests of the city on Youth Day weekend.
Youth Day opened officially Friday, April 26, at 7:30 p.m., following a rally for returning troops from Desert Storm, organized by Duane Barb and held at Rotary Park. Introduced at opening ceremonies at the Community Center were Youth Day sweetheart Rita Guzman and her court: senior Alma Rodarte; junior Allie Harrington; sophomore Lisa Olson, and freshman Barbara Havens. Jonah Lindeman, Youth Day mayor, council members Jason McKinney and Tom Nelson, and all other Youth Day officials were introduced. This year’s general chairman was Jim Marion, assisted by Youth chair Yvonne Martinez; parade chairman was Mike Sebastian, assisted by Dawn Branscum. Theme for the day was “Today’s Youth — Tomorrow’s Peace.” After eight years of having a carnival, Youth Day returned to
the basics with a more traditional format, with major sponsors being the Winters Chamber of Commerce, City of Winters, Mariani Nut Co., Button Transportation and First Northern Bank. Before the Winters High School-Alumni baseball game, the varsity field was dedicated and named for Hugh Randolph, a former teacher and varsity coach. Jenny Lester was the Youth Day poster winner, with a cash prize of $25. The first Kids Faire was held. Approximately 8,000 people attended the festivities.
The 1992 Youth Day was blessed with blue skies, sunshine and all of the things that make Youth Day the event of the year in Winters: parades, food, music and a new feature, the kiddie fair. The event was dedicated to Jim Marion, the general chairperson of the event, who suffered a heart
attack in the early morning on Youth Day. Happily, Jim recovered and continues to be active in the community.Another highlight was a tribute to Judy Montgomery during the Friday evening opening ceremonies. Montgomery, who taught dance in Winters for many years, was honored with a dance performance from her students. Each student presented Montgomery with a red rose and a hug. Montgomery, who served as the 1992 parade marshal, passed away later that year on Oct. 2.
On Saturday morning, the Rotary pancake breakfast attracted about 640 people. The kiddie parade drew in 350 youngsters. The main parade had 115 entries, with the usual fare of horses, floats and vintage automobiles.
Following the parade, the city park was filled with people who were treated to a reenactment of an old-time western shoot-out, live bands and tons of food. The
kiddie park had singers, games and a puddle of blue corn-starch goop that was a hit with the Pampers crowd.For those with competitive spirits, there was a horseshoe tournament and a lip-sync contest. Pedro Garcia and Efrain Del Toro took first place with the horseshoes and Jonathan Pardee won first prize in the lip-sync contest.Youth Day 1992 was a success thanks to the many citizens who volunteered their time and effort, as well as the Winters Chamber of Commerce, First Northern Bank, Mariani Nut Company, Button Transportation, the Buckhorn and the city of Winters.
Balmy weather and sunshine were the order of the day for the 57th annual Youth Day. The Grand Marshals were Steve and Cindy Baker. The sweetheart was Lisa Olson. The day began with the traditional Rotary pancake breakfast, kiddie parade and main parade. The main parade had over 100 entries. The horseshoe tournament drew 64 players, with Dan and Clyde Benner of Galt taking first place.
The Swan Brothers circus provided free entertainment for the youngsters, courtesy of the Winters Chamber of Commerce. Armando Del Rio and Bernard Henry won first place for their rendition of “Jump” in the lip sync contest. The high school baseball team edged out the alumni team in the alumni baseball game, 11-8. Youth Day ‘93 was coordinated by Jim and Gloria Marion, assisted by many volunteers from the community.
Temperatures were in the upper 70s for Youth Day 58. Many started the day at the Rotary pancake breakfast. The little ones started off the festivities with the kiddie parade. The floats in the main parade reflected the theme “Youth-Our Ageless Resource.” Marching bands, including the Winters High School Band and 1st place winners, the Cal Aggie Band, put on impressive shows. At the high school baseball diamond, the alumni team trampled the high school team, 11-2. The lip-sync contest was a popular event, drawing a large crowd. Jennifer Morris,
Amy Lad and Lynn Sanders won first place with their rendition of “My Boyfriend’s Back.” Evening entertainment included free concert at the Winters Opera House, a youth dance at the high school gym and a Soroptomist dance at St. Anthony’s Parish Hall.
Kristina Knabke was both Youth Day Mayor and Sweetheart as the students took over the management of the city for a day. Youth Day council embers included Sarah Hamilton, Melissa Ramirez, Amber Foster and Cody Thomson. Erin Autry was named city manager while adult Mike Sebastian and student Jenne Ehnat were parade co-chair men. The weather was perfect and the parade had over 120 entries with hundred of children participating in the kiddie parade.
Big winds were the order of the day for Youth Day ‘96. The Grand Marshals were Frank and Juanita Ramos, honored for their many years of service to the community. Erin Autry was the Youth
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Day sweetheart and Todd Ramos served as Youth Day mayor. The big day started with the traditional Rotary pancake breakfast, kiddie parade and main parade, and continued with activities in the park for youth. The Kid Fair provided a selection of activities for elementary and middle school students as well as craft and art tables. Katie Solorio, Katelyn Cummings and Melanie Cortez won the lip-sync contest with their rendition of a Blues Brothers song. Paul Gilpin was the winner of the chess tournament, and first place horseshoe tournament honors went to Steve and Earl Kynard. The alumni baseball team nosed out the high school team for a 7-5 victory. The evening wrapped up with a street dance, with CRB and Todd Bolton providing the music.
Blue skies and sunshine made the 61st annual Youth Day parade more fun for the thousands who turned our to watch. The Grand Marshal was Larita Salek, who was honored for her work volunteering in the community. The morning began bright
and early with the traditional Rotary Club pancake breakfast. The Kiddie Parade started things off with brightly decorated bicycles, floats and children in costumes. The main parade started at 10 a.m., with prancing horses, fancy cars and high school class floats. The 1997 Sweetheart was Jenne Ehnat, with her court, Gabrielle Harris, Cara Inns and Maegan Ireland. Inns also took on the duty of Youth Day Mayor. After the parade, crowds gathered at City Park for a variety of food choices, a Kids and Middle Ages Faire, and chess and horseshoe tournaments. Opening ceremonies were held the night before at the Community Center. Talent show winners included Gabrielle Harris, who took first place for her dance number, The Senate, who took second place for their musical number, and the Wednesday Morning Jazz Ensemble, who took third placed for their jazzy number. The day was a success, made even better by cooperative weather.
It was another windy morning as crowds braved the gusts to watch the
Kiddie
Parade and main parade travel down Main and First Street. The year’s Youth Day Grand Marshal was Jay Shepard, honored for his involvement on behalf of the community’s youth. The Youth Day Honorary Grand Marshal was Ray Epling, Winters resident and 24 year teacher in the Winters School District. Brandy Alvera was the Sweetheart, who also served as the Youth day Mayor and for to spend some time learning from her real-life counterpart Mayor Harold Anderson. There were more than 120 entries in the 1998 Youth Day Parade, which took more than two hours to travel down it’s route. Activities throughout the afternoon included the horseshoe and chess tournament at City Park. Other items of interest were the human bowling game and the rock climbing wall, which sees long lines of people, anxious to test their skills. Junk food galore was sold, including hot dogs, nachos, pizza and snow cones.
Mother Nature was in a good mood for Youth Day 1999, with plenty of sunshine on tap. Opening Ceremonies were held at the Community Center, with perennial parade chairman Mike Sebastian presenting plaques to Grand Marshal Dr. Bill Davis and Honorary Grand Marshal Dale Brewer. The 1999 Sweetheart was Adrienne Solorio, who also served as the Youth Day student general chairman. The Youth Day Mayor was Anna Inns. The talent show featured first place dancers Heather Halk and Diego Lopez, who also took second place. Third place went to rock group Vertigo, who performed an original hard rock song. Residents started the day at the Rotary Club pancake breakfast, getting their full of sausage, pancakes and eggs. Afterwards, the Kiddie Parade and main parade wound their way around Main and First streets. After the floats and bands passed by, Winters
residents headed for City Park for a day of sunshine, games, and food. Businesses and residents set up their booths, selling crafts, hot dogs, snow cones and sodas. The Kid Faire, horseshoe tournament and lip sync contest, always a crowd pleaser, rounded out the day’s activities.
A mellow mood and sunny weather made Youth Day 2000 one of the best. After Opening Ceremonies held the night before, Winters residents flocked to the Rotary Club pancake breakfast at the Community Center. When their hunger was satisfied, Youth Day revelries headed for the parade route along Main and First streets to watch their favorite children march in the Kiddie Parade. The main parade followed, complete with marching bands, floats and high stepping horses. Grand Marshals Jeff Hesemeyer and Dianne Beaton, Honorary Grand Marshal, Jack Graf and Youth Day Educator of the Year Pam Scheeline took their places of honor in fancy cars. The sweetheart float, with a Peter Pan theme, carried 2000 Sweetheart Natalia Franco and her court. The Youth Day mayor was Heather Halk. At City Park, the Kids Faire beckoned the young and the young at heart, while the climbing wall challenged the brave. There was enough food to satisfy even the largest appetite, and cold drinks to wash it all down. Horseshoes clanged and ice cream melted in the sun. Little League games provided a little sport and families picnicked under the shade of the trees. Youth Day 2000 opened the way for a new century of fun.
A cool breeze died down to a warm whisper just in time for the 65th annual Youth Day festivities. Youth Day Sweetheart Edith Rodriguez and her court, as well as Grand Marshal Germaine Hupe, Honorary Grand Marshals Richard and
Evelyne Rominger and Youth Day Educators of the Year, Jack Delbar and Gary Pitek were presented at opening ceremonies. Youth Day city officials included mayor Jimmy Ramos, council members Joie Rodofda , Krystal Majorvas, Jennie Little and Brandi Vigil, judge Mike Paschoal, city clerk Jenaye Shepard, fire chief Jessie Svozil, city manager Jill Fox, police chief Jordan Romney, treasurer Christina Lopez, Chamber of Commerce representative Adam Mills, city attorney Liliana Aredondo, community service director Melanie Stocking, and public works representative Elaine Medina.
With a temperature in the 60s, this Youth Day was a cool one. Opening ceremonies saw plaques awarded to chairman Mike Sebastian, Grand Marshal Frank
Ramos and Educator of the Year, Laurie Helm, and Sweetheart Jenaye Shepard. Students who participated in a city council meeting included Mayor Brandi Vigil, city council members Sara King, Beth Curry and Amanda Balough, city attorney Krystal Majorvas, city manager Elaine Medina treasurer Joie Rodolfa, city clerk Jenaye Shepard, judge Chris Majorvas, police chief Jordan Romney, fire chief Jose De La Cruz, community services director Jill Fox and public works director Jessie Svozil, who all discussed city beautification, the state of the high school parking lot and sports funding.
The Youth Council outside of City Hall for the 1968 Youth Day event.
photo
Even though rain was forecast, it stayed away on Youth Day and left beautiful weather in its place. 660 people had pancakes at the annual Rotary-sponsored Pancake Breakfast, with an estimated 1,400 pancakes flipped. Youth Day officials included Mayor Maggie Brewer, city clerk Krystal Majorvas, treasurer Richard Atherton, judge Sabrina Brunning, police chief Jacob Nelson, fire chief Chris Carrion, city attorney Jessie Svozil, community services director Megan White, city manager Katelyn Cummings, public works director David Wentling, and city council members Joie Rodolfa, Marissa Garcia, Flavio Guimaraes and Mike Sellers. Youth Day Grand Marshal was Harold Anderson, Honorary Grand Marshals Kay and Al Graf and Educator of the Year Polita Gonzales were honored at the opening ceremonies.
A “record” amount of pancakes were served at the annual pancake breakfast sponsored by the Rotary Club on a beautiful Youth Day morning, according to member Charles Wallace. Grand Marshal Susan Southworth, Honorary Grand Marshal Phil “Flip” Ritchie and Sweetheart Beth Curry were honored at the opening ceremonies. Kent Benson was Educator or the Year. City council members included city council members Jordan Shugart, Jackie Correa, Kaely Romney, Marty Sackett and Megan
Moms on Mopeds are on theme with the Wild West in the 2009 Youth Day parade.
White, city clerk Mallory MacLaughlin, judge Kristin Lucero, treasurer Richard Atherton and mayor Chad Stocking.
The weather was balmy and beautiful for Youth Day 2005. The day was filled with dancing flowers and colorful crops as Winters celebrated the “Garden of our Youth.” At Opening Ceremonies, high school students Leticia Rodriguez and Piedad Junoz earned the titles of sweetheart and sweethunk respectively. Guillermo Figueroa dazzled the judges and crowd and won the Youth Day talent show. Gloria Marion was honored as this year’s Grand Marshal for her involvement in Winters community events. Educator of the Year was Liz Coman, a teacher of the Winters High School English Department. The Youth Day mayor was senior Kaely Romney, with council members Sarah Warren, Jackie Correa, and Sarah Cooper. The Winters Cub Scout Pack 600 won the Sweepstakes Award for their amazing float.
After weeks of rain, spring turned just in time for the annual Youth Day celebration. This year’s theme was “Celebrating Youth Generation by Generation.” Opening ceremonies began with the talent show, away from which Katie Hill came victorious with her rendition of “Chain of Fools.” The 2006 Sweetheart was Jackie Stocking and Sweethunk was Jacob Thorne. John Lopez was honored as Youth Day Grand Marshal, Peg Dozier was named Honorary Grand Marshal, and Vickie Catalan earned the title of Educator of the Year. The Youth Day Mayor was Tyler Cross. Youth Day council members included Ozzy Arce, Sarah Warren, and Savannah Waldron. The next morning, the annual Rotary Pancake Breakfast fed nearly 750 people, and there were more than 100 entries in the parade. Winters Friends of the Library went home with the Sweepstakes Award.
Youth Day 2007 was one for the books
with sunshine and warm temperatures. Opening Ceremonies were held at the Community Center, beginning with the Youth Day talent show. Taking first place were Ashley Jordan and Mattie Long. Jordan sang the Christina Aguilera song, “Beautiful,” accompanied by Long on the piano. Kelsey Fox and Mat Catalan earned the titles of Sweetheart and Sweethunk respectively. Gloria McCreary, a teacher at Winters High School, was Educator of the Year. This year’s Grand Marshal was Mike Sebastian, who was honored for his involvement with Winters Youth Day. Mae Martin, who witnessed the 1st Youth Day, was Honorary Grand Marshal. Youth Day activities lasted all day, from the Rotary Club pancake breakfast in the morning, through ongoing entertainment and booths at City Park. The Sweepstakes Award for best float went to First Northern Bank for their grand pirate shit that followed the theme, “Youth Ahoy!”
The 72nd Youth Day was wild, fitting with the theme “Safari to Success. A highschool boy band, “Green River,” took home the gold at the annual Youth Day talent show. The band, compromised of Joey Sanders, Steven Lanfranco, and Nick Hawley, won for their rendition of “Crossfields of Gold.” The Sweetheart was Ari Ruiz and Sweethunk was Cody Campos. Educator of the Year went to high school teacher, Diane Grimard. Karen Benson-Neil was named Grand Marshal for her dedication to child development and youth success, and Kathy Skaggs was named Honorary Grand Marshal for her support of the Winters Fire Department. The Main Parade featured an extra-special entry: a carriage carrying a night in shining armor who proposed to his girlfriend in front of an adoring crowd. The Sweepstakes Award went to the Winters High School Class of 2010 for their float featuring youth dressed like zebras, giraffes, and lions with “I Just Can’t Wait to be King” from “The Lion King” playing in the background.
There were blue skies, sunshine, and temperatures in the low 70’s for Youth Day 73. The Grand Marshal, Manuel Garcia, was honored at Friday night’s Opening Ceremonies. Garcia has dedicated years of service to multiple Winters Youth Baseball programs. The title of Honorary Grand Marshal was awarded to Peggy Narducci, who rode her black and white paint horse in many Youth Day parades. The Youth Day Mayor was Jameson Shugart, and Sweetheart and Sweethunk were Anna Solorio and Robby Emery respectively. Jim Stark earned the title of Educator of the Year. Talent show winners Christyna Lopez and Raenne Ramos dazzled the judges with their rendition of “A Thousand Miles.” The Main Parade featured Sweepstakes Winners, Moms on Cowpeds and the Winters High School Class of 2010, for their entries that followed the theme “Wild West Youth.”
Youth Day 74 featured picture perfect
weather. Opening Ceremonies were held at the Community Center, with parade chairman Mike Sebastian presenting plaques to Grand Marshal Bruce Rominger. Rominger was honored for his exceptional service to the Winters community as a farmer, philanthropist and mentor. Juanita Skaggs was also honored as Honorary Grand Marshal. Winters Parent Nursery School won the Sweepstakes Award for their float that followed the theme, “Let Your Youth Shine Through.” After the parade, Buckhorn celebrated their 30th anniversary downtown with live music and specially priced menu items. Bryan-Braker Funeral Home debuted the Bryan-Baker Railroad, a model train for children to ride.
This Year’s parade was led by Winters Business owners and philanthropists John Pickerel and Melanie Bajakian. They were honored for many years of service to the Winters Community. Youth Day Mayor Polette Gonzales led the festivities with City mayor Woody Fridae. Youth City Councilmembers were Alexandra Balasek, Brandon Masteller, and Elliot Herrera. Youth Day was honored with a proclamation from Assemblywoman Lois Wolk and County Supervisor Mariko Yamada for the years of service to the Winters Community.
Winters Music Director Lynne Secrist led the 76th Youth Day Parade, being chosen for her dedication and energy put into the School District program over many years. City Mayor Woody Fridae and Youth Day mayor Kevin Lane led the council delegation. The 2012 Youth Day Sweetheart was Katie Clark and the Sweethunk was Isaac Asak. Fun fact: 91 year old Vickie Southwick visited for the first time since she was in the first Youth Day Parade in 1933.
The 77th Youth Day Parade was led by Grand Marshals Don and Tracy Calvert, longtime community volunteers. Winters Mayor Cecilia Aguiar-Curry introduced the Youth Day Mayor Nicholas Muldong. Youth City Council members were Ka’eo Drumright and Paola Calderon. The Youth day Royalty were Sweetheart Yvette Valadez and Sweethunk Ty Spalding. The Youth Day Parade was chosen to host the 2013 California State Horseman’s Association (CSHA) Championship Parade, attracting horse entries from all over California. The parade had 75 entries total.
The 78th Youth Day Parade was led by Winters Little League Mega-volunteers, Chris, John and Mark Rodriguez. They have led Winters Little League that was started by their father Rudy Rodriguez. Youth Day Mayor Fernando Cortes and city Mayor Cecilia Aguiar-Curry welcomed everyone with Youth City Council members Ignacio Ochoa and Micaela Tweedt.
This year’s Youth Day Sweetheart was Alex Cushman and the Sweethunk was Jake Ivory. This year’s theme “May the Youth Be with You” brought out a fleet of
Youth Day honored Tawnya McCracken martin as Grand marshal for the 79th Parade. She is a longtime volunteer for FFA and 4-H, and many other organizations. Winters mayor Cecilia Aguiar-Curry and Youth Day Mayor Edgar Chavez ushered in Councilmembers Emily Ferreira, Mariah Castillo, Brooke Little and Sarah Hagy. This year’s Youth day Sweetheart was Isabel Angel and the Sweethunk was Chris Kays. The parade had 60 entries this year.
The 80th Anniversary celebration was a huge success. The Youth Day Parade was led by Grand Marshals, The Thomas Sisters. They have been a huge part of the Winters Community from Swim Team to Grad Nite Chairpersons. City mayor Cecilia Aguiar-Curry and Youth day Mayor Emily Ferreira kicked off the 80th Anniversary parade with Council members Mariah Castillo, Jolie Cintas, Nataly Hernandez and Valeria Serratos. This year marked the retirement of Mike Sebastian as Parade Chairman, a position he held for 35 years.
The 81st Youth Day Parade was led
by Winters Junior Warriors founders Rudy and Shelly Baylor. Their contributions to the Junior Warriors and Little League programs could not go unnoticed. Winters mayor Wade Cowan and Youth Day Mayor Emily Ferreira led the Council Delegation. Other council members were Nataly Hernandez and Andrea Gonzales. The Sweetheart was Kenya Gallo and Sweethunk Devon Muldong. This year’s parade marked 75 appearances by the Yolo Post 77 American Legion Color Guard. It was also the final parade for announcer and former Chairman Gilbert Sebastian, retiring after 45 years as announcer. The parade had 58 entries in 2017.
The 82nd Youth Day Parade was led by a special group of volunteers, 2018 Grand Marshals, The Project Playground Committee. The City Council was represented by Mayor Wade Cowan, Youth Day Mayor Andrea Gonzales and Council members Nataly Hernandez, Ian Lopez, Itzel Rodriguez and Kyle Gardener. The Youth Day Sweetheart was Karina Del Toro and Sweethunk was Moises Garcia. Former Parade Chairman Mike Sebastian celebrated 40 years as Parade Announcer and Committee member. The Autos for Autism Car Show was added to the City
Park Festivities this year.
Superheroes of all ages celebrated on a sunny Youth Day in 2019, when the theme was “Super Youth – The Heroes of the Future.” The Duck Derby was postponed to May due to high water levels in Putah Creek. The Winters JUSD Hall of Fame float took first place with inductees Patty Rominger, Germaine Hupe, Gloria Lopez and Tom Pearse. The Parade Chairman was Mike Sebastian and the Grand Marshall was Winters Elementary School Principal Greg Moffitt. The Youth Day Council included Mayor Andrea Gonzalez, Mayor Pro tempore Nataly Hernandez, Secretary Victor Angel, City Manager Yolanda Covarrubias, City Clerk Itzel Rodriguez, Police Chief Celeste Garcia, Fire Chief Jackie Ayala, Terasurer Ian Lopez and City Councilmember Jorge Luis Fernandez.
In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic and with state and county mandates not allowing events, the Youth Day committee made the tough decision to cancel the 84th Youth Day celebration.
Since the first Youth Day in 1933, this was the first time since World War II that it was canceled. With the goal to keep the focus on youth and as a way to keep the
spirit of Youth Day going the committee awarded four $500 scholarships to Winters High School Class of 2020 seniors.
Although the plans were to come back strong in 2021, the Youth Day committee opted to cancel the Youth Day celebration, again. The committee cited local and state mandates not only caused great challenges in planning for the gathering but many small businesses and vendors were struggling or had gone out of business due to the pandemic. As a way of keeping Youth Day going, they awarded four $500 scholarships to members of the Winters High School Class of 2021.
WHS honored the annual tradition of nominating a Sweetheart Court. The 2021 WHS Youth Day Sweetheart was Liliana Balderas and the Sweethunk was Jesus Chavez. The Sweetheart Court included Kimberly Garcia (Class of 2024), Madeline MacMahon (Class of 2023) and Celeste Garcia (Class of 2022).
The Winters Express launched Family Fun Week to keep the spirit alive and
hosted a family movie night and downtown duck hunt.
Following a two-year pause due to the coronavirus pandemic, the 84th Winters Youth Day celebration was revived in 2022. The chosen theme was Youthfully Ever After. The celebration kicked off on Friday, April 29 with a Downtown Winters Duck Hunt and the Duck Derby.
The opening ceremonies followed across the creek Green River Brewing & Taproom where Youth Day Committee
President Mike Sebastian honored Jenny Ramos as the Grand Marshal. Donnie Whitworth was recognized as the Winters High School Educator of the Year.
Brooklyn Mariani was the Sweetheart and Atanacio Garcia Jr. was the Sweethunk. The 2022 Youth Mayor was Lupita Tovar, and Youth City Manager Lexi Hellinger.
Saturday, April 30 brought the return of the Rotary Pancake (sausage) Breakfast, the Kiddie and Main Parade, events at the Park and the WHS Alumni Baseball Game.
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