Ceres Street Faire 2018

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The Ceres Courier

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2018 Ceres Street Faire Section

Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Catch the Faire Parade at 10 a.m. Saturday • Parade theme to focus on Ceres Centennial celebration

By JEFF BENZIGER Editor of the

Ceres (Calif.) Courier

The theme of “Ceres celebrating 100 years” has been adopted by the committee which has assembled Saturday morning’s 10 a.m. Ceres Street Faire Parade down Whitmore Avenue.

“We’re excited about the parade this year especially being our centennial,” said Angie Smith, who is cochairing the parade with Helen Condit. “I think it’s going to be a fun parade. We look Channce Condit will emcee the forward to it reviewing stand of the parade.

The 2017 Ceres Street Faire Parade featured this very creative Bulldog head float entered by the Ceres Junior Bulldogs youth football program. The group will enter another float in the parade this Saturday morning.

JEFF BENZIGER/Courier file photo

every year and we’re just hoping that more of our community comes out for the parade and doesn’t miss on something fun like that.”

The parade will feature about 70 entries and kick start the 30th annual Ceres Street Faire at 10 a.m.

This year the city is celebrating its centennial – the 100th anniversary of its incorporation and the Ceres Street Faire is celebrating its 30th year. It is fitting thus that the parade grand marshals will be those who were instrumental in organizing it 30 years ago. They are Street Faire founders Richard McBride, Don Goudeau, Paul Caruso, Cheryl Winter and Allan Graham.

“We really wanted this year’s parade to be more of a hometown parade, more entries from those within our community since it is our Centennial,” said Smith. “We didn’t go outside to get entries. We utilize those within our community so we can showcase what our community has to offer.”

The parade was reinstated as a tradition in 2016 following a hiatus that

extended back to 2005. Attendance at last year’s parade was hampered by dark rainy clouds which did not release. This year’s parade is expected to be greeted by warmer temperatures.

All are invited to grab a lawn chair or a blanket and head down to Whitmore Avenue to catch the Ceres Street Faire Parade at 10 a.m. It’s expected to last approximately an hour.

The parade will feature many entries including 4-H groups, Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Diamond Cheer Team, several baseball and softball teams including Ceres Youth Baseball, Ceres Seahawks, Ceres Cowboys and Ceres Junior Bulldogs. The Ceres post of the American Legion Color Guard will be leading off the parade with colors.

The Highway 99 PT Cruiser Club will be rolling as well as the Central Valley Cruisers bicycle club. Smith said about 10 entries from the car show plan to be in the parade.

Footnotes Dance Studio of Ceres will perform at the parade, includ-

ing its Elite team that just came back from Disneyland.

Bryant Mordinoia, a five-year-old boy who was made Sacramento’s honorary ninja through the MakeA-Wish Foundation is planning to appear in the parade. Bryant lives in Salida and suffers from a rare heart condition, which did not stop him from taking on villains in a makebelieve fight of villains in Sacramento last October.

Speaking of characters, Mascots in Action has entered and will bring Disney-like costumed characters strolling down Whitmore Avenue.

Expected in the parade are sheriff’s candidates Jeff Dirkse and Juan Alanis and county superindent of schools candidates Scott Kuykendall and Shannon Sanford (also a former Miss Ceres).

The local John Deere dealership will have equipment in the parade like last year.

Citizen of the Year Becki Nicholes will be in the parade as will “Youth Citizen of the Year” Sammantha Hill, “Volunteer of the Year” Shella Joiner and owners of Sam’s Café who were honored in January as “Downtown SEE PARADE, PAGE 7

2018 Ceres Street Faire Section

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Ceres Street Faire is a rain or shine event

Anyone who’s been to the Ceres Street Faire knows that the biggest unknown is weather. Since organizers can’t do a thing about the skies, the Faire is billed as a “rain or shine” event. This year’s event could be warm, however. As of the printing of this guide, weather.com was forecasting partly cloudy skies with temperatures of 86 degrees for both Saturday and Sunday.

Downtown Ceres hosts the 30th annual

Ceres Street Faire this weekend, May 5-6.

Hoping for sunny skies, organizers have ordered up the 2018 Street Faire to be pretty much the same as past events. The 10 a.m.

Saturday parade is back, which follows Whitmore Avenue from Smyrna Park and leading to the Saturday morning car show on Fourth Street between Magnolia and North streets. The Faire includes arts & crafts booths, commercial booths, food booths

operated by non-profit Ceres groups, local entertainment and fun things for kids to do in the park.

An army of service clubs and other groups will be selling food items along Third Street.

A highlight of the Street Faire will be Saturday’s 2 p.m. raffle sponsored by the Ceres Unified School District Foundation.

Four cash prizes totaling $2,000 and five prize packages valued at $500 or more are

up for raffle. Tickets will be sold at the Foundation’s Street Faire booth until 1:30 p.m. Saturday. The raffle prize drawing will take place at 2 p.m in Whitmore Park in the entertainment area.

The Ceres Lions Club and Ceres Chamber of Commerce members founded the Ceres Street Faire in October 1988. The event was previously offered as the Peach Harvest Festival at Smyrna Park.

Message from Lisa Moore, Street Faire Committee chairperson I am very pleased to be serving as the 2018 Chair for the 30th Annual Ceres Street Faire.

The Ceres Street Faire committee is a tremendous group of individuals who work year round in conjunction with the Ceres Lions Club and the Ceres Chamber of Commerce to put together a great event for our community. The Street Faire is successful due to the many individuals who attend and the support we have from our city leaders.

This year’s Street Faire is sure to be a huge success! Saturday morning starts off with our fabulous car show. The cars are beautiful and their owners work really hard to have them ready for the show. There is so much delicious food to sample that includes linguica sandwiches, tri tip, French fries, funnel cakes, kettle corn to name a few. I know my family can’t get enough of the food that is sold on Street Faire weekend. The non-profit community groups really work hard to bring top rate food choices for us.

We have so many vendors showing and selling their products that you can travel back and forth several times and still not see all of them. I can hardly wait to stroll down Fourth Street and see what they have this year. The kids play area is always a very exciting place

Mayor welcomes all to Faire!

As mayor of the City of Ceres, and on behalf of the Ceres City Council, I want to welcome you to the 30th annual Ceres Street Faire!

Lisa Mantarro Moore

with so much to do!

The Street Faire also gives a chance for our community to see our local performers showcased by the dancers and karate students throughout our town.

We even have some really good bands including Greg Scudder and the Beer:30 who have won acclaim for their performances.

The Ceres Street Faire parade is such a fantastic opportunity

for our community to celebrate.

The parade is the best way to kick off the Street Faire. As this year’s Chair, I am very proud of our Street Faire and the traditions we have given to our community.

The 2018 Street Faire is going to be great. Plan your weekend so you can come out and enjoy what Ceres has to offer. We look forward to seeing you!

The Ceres Street Faire is a great opportunity to spend time with family, friends and neighbors. I encourage you to visit all of the booths and enjoy the delicious food provided by each of our vendors. This year’s event will include a Saturday parade, live entertainment, a classic car and truck show and much more.

We sincerely hope everyone has a wonderful time at this year’s event and we are confident the 2018 Ceres Street Faire will be the best one yet! ~Chris Vierra, Mayor of Ceres

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2018 Ceres Street Faire Section

Wednesday, May 2, 2018

A map of Street Faire 2018 action Saturday, May 5 & Sunday, May 6 - RAIN OR SHINE North Street WHITMORE

Commercial booths City of Ceres Ceres Youth Soccer Organization sign-ups Ceres Cowboys football sign-ups Ceres Junior Bulldogs sign-ups Ceres Garden Club CUSD Foundation Ceres Women’s Club Ceres Centennial Committtee

PARK • Entertainment Stage •Petting Zoo • Children’s activities

Ceres High School Sober Grad Night Comm.

Hot dogs & ice cream sandwiches

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CVHS Band Beef & pork tacos, burritos, quesadillas

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Ceres Firefighters Corn dogs & nachos

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Ceres Junior Bulldogs Fresh fruit cups, agua fresca

CHS Boosters Linguica sandwich Ceres Seahawks Hamburgers, cheeseburgers & snow cones CVHS Boosters Polish dog, hot links Ceres Lions Club Tri-tip sandwiches Ceres Firefighters French & Chili cheese fries, garlic fries

International Gospel Assembly Kettlecorn, pretzels & lemon shakers

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Grace Community Christian Church Funnel cake, water

Car Show Saturday

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Street Faire food vendors

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ARTS AND CRAFTS LINING BOTH SIDES OF FOURTH STREET BETWEEN NORTH AND LAWRENCE STREETS

Lawrence Street

Beer Booth

Downtown Stage

Ceres Pups Wrestling/ Lockeford Meats Bratwurst Ceres Jr. Bulldogs Chicken wings, onion rings, potato tornadoes & corn on the cob Ceres Chamber of Commerce Margaritas, Bloody Marys

JEFF BENZIGER/Courier file photo

Bret Silveira of the Ceres High Athletic Boosters barbecues dogs and linguica at the 2017 Ceres Street Faire. Plenty of food is available for purchase at Whitmore Park.

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Entertainment Schedule Saturday, May 5

Park Stage

11:30 a.m. – CVHS Dance Team/Mae Hensley Local Motion 11:30 a.m. – Steps Dance Studio 12:00 p.m. – Ceres Dept of Parks and Rec 12:30 p.m. – Footnotes Dance Studio 1:00 p.m. – Los Luceros de Osborn 1:30 p.m. – Ceres Karate demonstrations 2:00 p.m. – Ceres Foundation Raffle drawing & Parade Winner Announcements 2:00 p.m. – Ceres Cheer Groups 2:30 p.m. – Ceres Karate demonstrations 3:00 p.m. – Ceres High Perpetual Motion Dance Team 3:30 p.m. – CHS wrestling demonstrations 4:30 p.m. – Patti Castillo Davis

Sunday, May 6 Park Stage

12 noon – Patty Castillo Davis 1:00 p.m. – Steps Dance Studio 1:30 p.m. – Ceres Karate 3:00 p.m. – Johnny and the Classics

Downtown Stage 10:30 p.m. – Cover 5 Local 12:00 p.m. – Ceres Karate demo nt Tale 12:30 p.m. – Unleashed for all! 2:30 p.m. – Johnny Rocket &

The Thrust 4:30 p.m. – California Outlaws

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Downtown Stage 12:00 p.m. – Ceres Karate demo 12:30 p.m. – Lavonne & the Train Wreck 2:30 p.m. – Greg Scudder & the Beer:30

Greg Scudder, a Ceres homegrown product, performs Sunday downtown with his popular Beer:30 band.

All performances are subject to change without notice!

Patty Castillo Davis performs both Saturday and Sunday.

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2018 Ceres Street Faire Section

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The large yellow slide is a favorite of families since adults can ride with children in the safety of their laps.

JEFF BENZIGER/Courier file photo

Park offers lots of fun stuff for kids • Rides, activities, animals spell fun in the park

JEFF BENZIGER/Courier file photo

The Ferris Wheel remains a favorite among young and old alike. These two girls rode last year during the 2017 Ceres Street Faire.

Whitmore Park will be filled with fun things for the children during the 30th annual Ceres Street Faire this weekend.

A petting zoo and B&B Pony Rides for the little ones will be offered at the southern end of the park.

A variety of fun games will be available including: • A Bounce House sponsored by Steps Dance Arts Center. The 15-foot-high inflatable bounce house is for children.

It’s a great way for parents to let their children get all their wiggles out.

• J&J Speedball. Throw and guess the throwing speed as clocked by radar. The event is open to all ages.

• Mobile Climbing Wall. Presented

by Mobile Rock, Inc., this 24-foot-high climbing wall, offers Faire goers to experience the thrill of rock climbing in a controlled environment. Race against others to the top or take your time on a journey alone.

• A giant slide presented by Teaco Amusements of Patterson. Adults and kids are invited to climb up this giant fiberglas slide with a sack and slide down the 100 feet for smiles and laughs. Then do it again!

• A Ferris Wheel brought to Ceres by Teaco Slides.

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Lions Club members always seeking to serving Ceres B y CHAD ADAM S President of the

Ceres Lions Club

On behalf of the Ceres Lions Club, I want to welcome you to the 30th Annual Ceres Street Faire.

Founded in 1947, the Ceres Lions Club represents individuals from every sector of the community, including city and county government, public safety officials, agriculture, health-care, business, education, and many other civic-minded citizens from the private sector.

The Ceres Lions Club, like all Lions clubs, is governed by a board of directors who manage and facilitate the funding of many worthy groups and activities in Ceres. These include the Boy Scouts, Sober Grad Night at both Ceres and Central Valley High Schools, several youth

PARADE FROM PAGE 2 Business of the Year.”

Members of the Ceres City Council and Ceres Planning Commission will also ride in the parade.

Floats will include one made

recreational sports teams and many other community donations.

The Ceres Lions Club also provides high school scholarships for graduating seniors, have volunteered to cook at numerous community fundraising events, and have collected hundreds of pairs of used eye-glasses for those in need in other countries. We also provide local children in need with eye exams, glasses and Medic Alert bracelets through a partnership with the Ceres Unified School District.

We continue to partner with the Ceres Chamber of Commerce, Ceres Street Faire Committee and the City of Ceres to bring this wonderful Street Faire to the community. We hope you enjoy this weekend and experience the variety of booths, food and entertainment that make this Street Faire so successful.

by the Ceres Water Tower preservation group and Ceres Junior Bulldogs.

The parade will assemble at Smyrna Park and march southbound on Moffet Road, and turn onto westbound Whitmore Avenue. The judges’ stand will be at the northwest corner of Whitmore and Moffet. Parade emcee will be

Youth rode the Ceres Reds float in the 2017 Ceres Street Faire Parade.

Channce Condit. The parade will finish on Fourth Street with some of the cars being entered into the Street Faire Car Show.

There won’t be the magnitude of equestrian entries experienced last year, said Smith. But there is at least one – a four-year-old Ceres girl riding her Shetland pony.

Ceres Lions Club member Greg Smith pulls the tap on a draft beer at the 2015 Ceres Street Faire. The booth was located on North Street between Third and Fourth streets.

JEFF BENZIGER/ Courier file photo

“That’ll be cute,” said Smith.

About 100 volunteers will be helping to make sure the parade goes smoothly.

The Parade Award Ceremony will take place at the Whitmore park gazebo at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 5.

Sponsors for the parade are the Ceres Centennial Committee and

JEFF BENZIGER/Courier file photo

the Ceres Street Faire Committee.

Various Ceres streets will be closed beginning at 8 a.m. for the parade, which will start at Smyrna Park at the corner of Fowler and Moffett. The parade will go south on Moffett, turn west onto Whitmore Avenue and disband after turning north onto Fifth Street at Acorn Lane. Those car owners entering in the Car Show on Fourth Street will divert toward downtown.

The roads listed below will be closed to through traffic starting at 8 a.m. to about noon.: • Acorn Ln. and Myrtlewood Dr.; • Alley opening on Myrtlewood Dr.; • Moffet Rd. and Acorn Ln.; • Wallace Ave. and Acorn Ln.; • Darwin Ave. and Fowler Rd.; • Rose Ave. and Fowler Rd.; • Henry Ave. and Moffet Rd.; • Vaughn St. and Caswell Ave.; • Acorn Ln. and Fifth St. From 7 a.m. until noon the Costa Field and Smyrna Park parking areas will be used for horse judging and staging. Starting at 9:30 a.m., one lane on Whitmore Avenue will be closed for the judge’s stand in front of My Garden Café. The judge’s stage will be removed at approximately 12 noon and Whitmore Avenue reopened.

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Don’t miss Saturday’s car show • Show runs 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

By J EF F B E N Z IG ER Editor of the

Ceres (Calif.) Courier

JEFF BENZIGER/ Courier file photo

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OURTH STREET north of North Street will be lined with two- and fourwheeled eye candy this Saturday for the 30th annual Ceres Street Faire Car Show.

The show typically attracts 50 to 75 entries and runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday only. At the end of the car show at 3 p.m. the Street Faire Committee will be handing out 10 awards.

Show organizers say anyone may show off their car by turning out from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the sign-up booth at Fourth and Magnolia. The entry fee for the show is $25.

All entries will receive a

Classic cars like this beautiful roadster attract lots of attention on Fourth Street during the Ceres Street Faire car show. The car show is offered only on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. so don’t expect to come on Sunday and catch this automotive eye candy.

Street Faire specialty T-shirt to commemorate the 2018 Car Show, and a dash plaque.

Many people wait until the day of the show to enter their vehicle. But owners also have the option of going online at www.ceresstreetfaire.com to download an entry form.

Entry forms are also available at the Ceres Chamber of Commerce office at the northeast corner of Lawrence and Sixth streets.

Any car that is special enough to show off – whether a lifted truck, restored classic Model A, or a cherried out muscle car – is welcome at the show. Classic and modified automobiles - with their elaborate colors and rare designs - have always pulled an audience at the Street Faire.

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537-4147 231 FLAMINGO DR. • MODESTO - Ceres street faire sponsor -

2018 Ceres Street Faire Section

Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Ceres Street Faire sponsors Presenting Sponsor Food 4 Less & Ranch San Miguel Markets Host Sponsor Delta Sierra Beverage Diamond Level Delta Sierra Beverage 3 Amigos Auto/Rusty Nail Kase Manufacturing Save Mart Valley First Credit Union 5 Star Auto Sales Platinum Level Bertolotti Disposal

Silver Level Embroidery Plus Pasta Pronto Rank Security & Investigations Bronze Level Ceres Venue Meyer CPR and First Aid Nathan Dabulewicz Insurance Agency Special Mention The Ceres Courier Ceres Police Dept.

City of Ceres GDR Engineering

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Faire dates back to 1988

• Evolved from the early-day Ceres Peach Festival Ceres Lions Club and Ceres Chamber of Commerce members founded the Ceres Street Faire in October 1988. It was an effort to combine an antiques and collectibles show, that then Ceres vice mayorRichard McBride was attempting to put together as a fund raiser for the Ceres Lions Club, with the effort of the Ceres Chamber of Commerce to move the historic Peach Harvest Festival from Smyrna Park to the streets of downtown Ceres.

The main goal was to create a fundraiser for not only the Lions Club and Chamber of Commerce, but to also offer fundraising opportunities to other Ceres nonprofit organizations. Envisioned were food booths, an antique and collectibles show, and entertainment.

The special committee of Lions Club and Chamber members dubbed the celebration the Ceres Street Faire.

Others who assisted McBride were Don Goudeau, Allan Graham, Paul Caruso, and Cheryl Winter, who was the Chamber Executive Vice President in 1988).

Eldon Frost of Denair created a logo for the event. It consists of a plane carrying a

banner reading Ceres Street Faire – Rain or Shine. His logo is still used occasionally on T-shirts and other forms of advertising.

To boost attendance, it was decided no admission fee would be charged. The success of the first Ceres Street Faire exceeded all expectations for everyone involved, and its popularity has continued throughout the years.

The success of the first Street Faire can best be summed up with the story of the Lions Club food booth. The Lions’ offered barbecued chicken and beef rib dinners during both days – Saturday and Sunday.

Things were so successful for the Lions Club during that first year that 1,000 barbecue chicken dinners were sold. They ran out of chicken on Saturday, and after purchasing more, nearly ran out on Sunday.

In 2018, 30 years later, Faire goers will be treated to a Street Faire Parade at 10 a.m.

Saturday; arts & crafts booths; commercial booths; food vendors by Ceres non-profit groups; two stages of entertainment; custom Car Show (Saturday only); and a children’s activity/play area.

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2018 Ceres Street Faire Section

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Try your luck with the CUSD Foundation Raffle • Cash, prizes in 2 p.m. Saturday raffle

Four cash prizes totaling $1,500 and five prize packages valued at $500 or more are up for raffle at this year’s Ceres Street Faire! The Ceres Unified School District Foundation’s 11th annual fundraising campaign kicked off this past January in an effort to raise money to support a wide variety of school activities and events at every school.

Proceeds from each ticket stay in the Ceres community. Unlike other fundraising activities, in which up to 50 percent of the proceeds are returned to the vendor providing the product, 100 percent of all proceeds of this raffle are available for Ceres schools.

Over the past decade, over $200,000 has been awarded to over 500 Ceres teachers, with tens of thousands of more dollars used to support Sober Grad Night events, field trips, special class activities, and more.

Contributed to the Courier The cash prizes and the five prize Monica Martinez, branch services officer of the packages were donated by local busiCeres Westamerica Bank (right) presents to Julie Martin a donation of $1,000 in support of the nesses and community groups.

Cash prizes include: CUSD Foundation Teacher Mini Grant Program.

• Three $500 cash prizes, funded

by J.L. Bray & Son, Inc., and United Inspection Prize packages valued at $500 or more are as follows: • Outdoor gas barbeque grill donated

by Lowe’s of Modesto; • Entertainment package donated

by Black Oak Casino, California State Railroad Museum, Funworks, California Academy of Sciences and Gilroy Gardens and Raging Waters; • Grocery package donated by Cost Less Foods of Ceres; Other donors include: Westamerica Bank, FF&J Architects, Del Taco and Round Table restaurants in Ceres, and Dr. Scott Siegel.

Raffle tickets will be available at the Ceres Street Faire on Saturday, May 5 at the Ceres Unified School District Foundation booth until 1:30 p.m. The raffle prize drawing will take place at approximately 2 p.m., on the main stage of Whitmore Park.

Each $5 raffle ticket donation is taxdeductible.

Contributed to the Courier

Ceres’ Cost Less Foods manager Del Ambris hands Julie Martin, a representative of the CUSD Foundation, a donation of $500 of grocery certificates to be used as prize giveaways at Saturday’s raffle.

RAFFLE DRAWING *2:00pm @ Whitmore Park *Saturday, May 5th Three $500 Cash Prizes Plus 3 Prize Packages VALUED AT $500 or more:

Gas Grill Barbeque • Entertainment Package • Grocery Package In partnership with Ceres schools, the

Ceres Unified School District Foundation is conducting a raffle ticket fundraising campaign to support school activities and events. 100% of funds remain in Ceres.

Thank You Raffle Donors! *J.L. Bray & Son *West America Bank *F F & J Architects, Inc. *United Inspection *Black Oak Casino *Cost Less Foods *Lowe’s Home Improvement of Modesto *California State Railroad Museum *Gilroy Gardens *California Academy of Sciences *FunWorks *Round Table Pizza of Ceres *Del Taco of Ceres *Raging Waters *Dr. Scott Siegel

Raffle tickets also available for a $5 donation at the CUSD Foundation booth on May 5th Thank you to Jeff Brown for serving as the raffle emcee.

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STREET FAIRE T-SHIRTS

JEFF BENZIGER/Courier file photo

The 2018 Ceres Street Faire T-shirts may be purchased at the Street Faire information booth.

JEFF BENZIGER/Courier file photo

Fun from carnival type rides and prizes are available at Whitmore Park both Saturday and Sunday during the Street Faire. The activities are located near the freeway side.

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2018 Ceres Street Faire Section

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UNIQUE ITEMS

JEFF BENZIGER/ Courier file photo

Ceres Street Faire vendors often offer unique products and services that run the gamut for young and old. During the 2017 event these youngsters were checking out the colorful goods being sold by vendors on Lawrence Street.

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The beginning....

Contributed to the Courier

It was a dirty job but somebody had to do it. Harvesting wheat was hot and dirty business and involved sheer manual labor. It was the rich soil that drew early-day farmers to Ceres to become prosperous in wheat production. The name of Ceres was drafted from the Roman goddess of agriculture.

Wheat was the draw in the1860s B y JEFF B EN Z IG ER Editor of the

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Ceres (Calif.) Courier

F A MODERN-DAY JOURNALIST could have access to a time machine and set the dial back to 1870, the following report might be filed about Ceres as it existed then: “There is nothing but fields of wildflowers and grasses stretching as far as the eye can see with intermittent splashes of green of oaks, poplars and eucalyptus trees. There is one building going up – a two-story home, along a dirt road which runs within an arm’s throw of the railroad tracks. Every once in a while the builder, a small man with a thick beard, stops pounding his hammer and looks across the land, this 9,000 acres that he owns. As the shrill sound of a steam train whistle comes closer, the man looks as though he is thoughtfully planning out a new town, possibly the beginning of a great home

for many.”

One hundred and fortyeight years ago, Daniel Whitmore probably only had an inkling of what he was starting at this desolate spot several miles from the swift and untamed Tuolumne River, which was used as a mighty water highway for all of the wheat crops shipped to the Delta. It is doubtful that he would have known that with the construction of his simple Victorian style home – which still stands on Fifth Street – would have led to a city of 48,000 a cen- Daniel Whitmore (1816-1893) is credited as the father of Ceres. tury and a half later.

Good soil, good neighbors and a quiet place to live have been attractive qualities that have made Ceres what it is today. Those same qualities were part of Whitmore’s Ceres when the town was laid out in 1874 for the first time.

Daniel C. Whitmore was born in Ohio on May 31, 1816 to Daniel and Martha Whitmore. When he was just a little over 12 months of age, the family packed up their belongings to move to Chautauqua County, N.Y. The family remained there until Daniel was three years old. Next they settled in Con-

neaut, Ohio where he spent his boyhood. In 1831 Daniel’s parents took him to Barnstable County, Mass. For six years he learned to be a sailor.

In 1844 Daniel Whitmore married Lucy Jane Lee, a native of New York, in Hudson, Mich. They bore three sons, Clinton N. Whitmore (he was born Aug. 20, 1845 in Hudson, Mich., and was nine during the trip), Leonard H. Whitmore and Eugene E. Whitmore (he died in Stockton).

Like many following the California Gold Rush of 1849, the Whitmore decided to head east after hearing about California’s opportunities and mile climate. Their journey, which would eventually bring them to Ceres, started in the spring of 1854 when the Whitmores left Pittsford, Mich. in a wagon train. In those days, wagon trains started in spring, hoping to reach the rugged Sierra Nevada range before the first snowfall of fall SEE ORIGINS, PAGE 14

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ORIGINS FROM PAGE 13 and winter.

According to a published 1881 account of the “History of Stanislaus County,” the Whitmores actually “seemed to enjoy themselves as they gathered around the campfire at night after a day of hard traveling.”

About five months later, on Sept. 1, 1854, the Whitmore party arrived in Stockton and settled on what is now the Cherokee Lane area near Stockton. They remained there until 1857.

Whitmore brought his family south to what would later become Stanislaus County in 1866.

Accounts say he settled on land just north of the Tuolumne River which he farmed. In those days the absence of irrigation in a very dry climate meant growing wheat. He later farmed on 10,000 acres south

of the river on what is now presentday Ceres.

Following his brother Daniel to California was Richard Keith Whitmore. He arrived in 1856 and found the area near Collegeville east of Stockton as a fertile place to farm. Richard settled in the Ceres area in 1869 after buying land from Levi Carter.

Richard married his cousin, H.M. Whitmore in 1843 and had six children – Martha, Mary, Richard K., Henry Havelock, Nellie B. and Alice B. Whitmore.

Richard Whitmore died Oct. 11, 1878 at age 57. One account said Whitmore was “engaged in putting some new seats in the schoolhouse in Ceres when he was struck by death and expired in a few moments.”

Eldest son Richard K. Whitmore, affectionately called “the Colonel,” took over his dad’s farming operation. The 1881 historical account gives the following entry for Rich-

ard K. Whitmore: “His ranch consists of one thousand, two hundred and eighty acres, favorably located five miles from Modesto and 10 miles from the river. It is only two miles from the village of Ceres, where school, church and railroad advantages are obtained. The average soil is of a sandy character, yielding about ten bushels per acre, average years. He has also farmed on rented land of about the same nature, in tracts of 2,000 acres on D. Whitmore’s ranch for the past ten years. As raising wheat is the chief business, only a few cows are kept for milk, and thirty-five horses for farming purposes.”

The Whitmores were intolerant of alcohol and determined that Ceres should be a dry town. When Daniel Whitmore drew up the first town plot in 1875, lots were sold under the condition that occupants would not be involved in the consumption or the manufacture of distilled spirits.

That same sentiment was shared by others in the Whitmore family.

A Ceres temperance lodge, Ceres Lodge #109, I.O.G.T., met every Tuesday evening at the schoolhouse. Members consisted of H.M. Whitmore and her son, Richard K. The Whitmore must have fallen in love with Ceres. He invited his good friends, Mr. and Mrs. C.P. Warner of Auburn, to homestead the area. Their daughter and son-inlaw, John and Julia Service, came with them to build homes and farms. It is said that the Warners bought land for $1.25 an acre.

Meanwhile, Daniel Whitmore received permission to establish a post office in his Fifth Street home – provided that someone carry it from the Modesto post office. The town had been named Ceres by Elma Carter. Ceres was the name of the goddess of the harvest. The Whitmores liked it and it stuck.

The town of Ceres sprang up over the next few years. A board-

ing house was constructed and operated by sisters named Fellows and Conner. The town’s first blacksmith shop was built in 1872

by J.J. Annear. It was a sign of the town’s growth since only a robust population could support the services of a blacksmith.

A year later the Whitmores built a store. After serving as a church, the building was converted to a general store named Bradley & Rounds in 1877.

The Southern Pacific Railroad helped spur the development of all towns it ran through in the Valley, notably Modesto, Ceres, Turlock and Merced. The first stop was built in 1871 where present-day Esmar Road intersects Highway 99. The stop was named Esmar after the first letters of the names of the children of property owner Eli Carter – Elma, Stanton, Melborne, Aletha and Roscoe. A new larger station was constructed in Ceres in 1874. Along the tracks, SEE HISTORY, PAGE 15

Contributed to the Courier

Ceres was a small village and only needed one grocery store 100 years ago. This was the George F. Wood general store that operated from 1902 until 1928. It was located in the block south of Whitmore Park on the site now occupied by the Eagle Mini Mart (but marked by an old Jackpot Gas sign).

2018 Ceres Street Faire Section

Wednesday, May 2, 2018

15

HISTORY

FROM PAGE 14

in the vicinity of the present-day Pine Street overpass, Mr. Whitmore had built immense warehouses to store his grain.

For much of its early existence, Ceres was merely on a grain producing and shipping purpose. In 1881 Whitmore built a huge enterprise – the Ceres Flour Mill – to help retain profits in the community by milling the wheat grown here. The building reportedly cost $30,000 to build. It featured a straw-burning boiler and a Corliss engine. It was not without risk of fire and in the summer of July 1883, a fire got out of control and destroyed the building.

As Ceres’ population grew, the need for schools grew to the point where a small schoolhouse was needed. For years Davis School northwest of Ceres served adequately. It was a small structure built on a farm owned by M.M. Williams at Hatch Road at Highway 99. The Davis School District was organized January 27, 1859 by Harvey Bates Davis. The school was replaced in the 1870s by a one-room schoolhouse.

Aurelia Chapin, Ceres’ first school teacher, consented to educate Ceres’ first generation when the schoolhouse was relocated. She retired in 1879.

In 1886 Ceres residents taxed themselves to build a two-story school building on what is now Whitmore Park (then called Triangle Park). It opened in 1887. The building was enlarged after Ceres residents voted 15 to 6 to approve a tax on September 3, 1898.

In 1908 there became a need for a high school so students met in the Grange Hall located in the south section of the park.

Ceres High School officially opened for the first time on August 31, 1908 with 25 eager students and Principal J.E. Williams at helm.

They came from the Tuolumne River to the north, Hughson on the east, Keyes on the south and Westport on the west. The next year 55 students were enrolled with H.H. Tracy as principal.

The first graduating class of Ceres High School, in 1912, received diplomas in the upstairs of the Collins & Warner Hall on Fourth Street.

A bricked high school was completed in 1915 on Whitmore Avenue immediately west of what is now the old gymnasium. The building was razed in 1965 to make way for the new administration building and new classrooms and the Doghouse.

The Ceres Grammar School was built in 1909 on North Street. Its first principal was John Andrew Wagener who served until 1920. The school was located where present-day Ceres Fire Station #1 sits. The school was replaced by Whitmore School on Lawrence Street in 1930. After World War II more schools were needed. Caswell Elementary opened in 1948 and Don Pedro followed in 1949. In 1957 two more schools

Contributed to the Courier

This homemade fire engine – with two front ends – was the laughing stock of Ceres until its power was demonstrated. Will Ham (center) constructed the fire engine from a Ford Model T. On one mutual aid call Modesto firefighters saw the contraption and laughed – until Ham directed a stream of water at them to show how much water pressure would blast them. Ray McMillan is at left and Lee Gill is at right. The Ceres Fire Department was located on Fourth Street. (Betty Ham.)

were added in Carroll Fowler and Walter White Junior High School. Mae Hensley Junior High School came in 1972. Argus Continuation School opened in 1968. Other schools added were Virginia Parks Elementary, 1998; Sam Vaughn Elementary and Blaker Kinser Junior High in 1994; Adkison and Sinclear elementaries and Central Valley High School in 2005; Joel Hidahl and La Rosa elementary schools in 2006. Whitmore Charter on the Berryhill Campus in 2007.

A religious atmosphere in Ceres was set right away. A ministry from the Westport Methodist Episcopal Church, established in 1869, began reaching out a mission to Ceres.

The first church building in Ceres was the Baptist Church, organized in October 1879 with 12 members. Daniel Whitmore, a faithful Baptist, donated the land for the church.

The building was dedicated in 1882 at the northwest corner of Fifth and North streets.

It was razed in an 1889 fire but rebuilt.

The iconic Daniel Whitmore passed away in 1893 at the age of 77.

The era of grain ended in the late 1880s for most of Stanislaus County. However, the development of the Turlock Irrigation District and introduction of irrigation water into the Ceres area revolutionized farming. The first water which came from the gravity flow system of TID canals into Ceres occurred in March 1900 on Hatch Road. Water in the hot summer now meant that peaches, figs, grapes, nuts and other vegetables could be

farmed in Ceres.

Important to Ceres farmers was their involvement in the Grange, first established in the Westport area on Aug. 30, 1873. By 1889 the Grange had 142 members, meeting in the former Westport school house. It later disbanded. It was revived in 1933 as part of the Stanislaus Pomona Grange.

Other early organizations in Ceres included: • The Ceres Literary Society, formed in 1876 for the cultural enrichment through music, recitals and debates.

• The Ceres Sewing Society, established in 1880, gathered women to sew garments to raise funds for the first church building.

• International Order of Good Templars formed in 1878 after the citizens rallied against the first saloon in Ceres. Members pledged to abstain from alcoholic beverages. The group disbanded in 1889 and later attempts to revive it failed.

• Women’s Christian Temperance Union, which started in Ceres in 1885, stressed pure living and promoted cooking and hygiene.

• The Knights of Honor. It was a fraternal male group established in 1882 but lasted only two years.

• The Baseball Club, set up in 1884, pitted area men in baseball play against neighboring communities.

• Boy Scouts, which was established in Ceres around 1911.

• The International Order of Odd Fellows

(IOOF) was instituted in October 1921 by grandmaster A.D. Ketterlin. The IOOF Hall at the southwest corner of Fourth and Lawrence streets, was built shortly thereafter for a meeting place.

• Other Ceres organizations in Ceres’ history include the Ceres Rebekahs, 1922; Ceres Masons, 1922; Eastern Star, 1923; the Arachne Club (a sewing club) in the early 1900s; Job’s Daughters, 1947; Ceres Study Club I 1925; Ceres Women’s Club in 1958; the American Legion in 1933; the American Legion Auxiliary in 1935; the Townsend Club in 1934; Ceres 4-H in 1938; the Persephone Guild in 1938; the Ceres Lions Club in 1947; the Tuolumne River Lodge in 1947; the Ceres Kiwanis Club in 1960; the Soroptimist International of Ceres in 1972; and the Ceres Senior Citizens Club in 1972.

• Ceres had its own newspaper by 1910 when Clarence Humphrey Bronaugh founded the Ceres Courier.

In January 1905 Ceres received a “first class hotel” which featured a blacksmith and wagon shop and a butcher shop.

Postal patrons enjoyed a new post office location in 1904.

By the year 1918, the population of Ceres had grown to 1,000 residents. Now in 2018, the state estimates Ceres to be home to 48,278 residents.

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