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It’s time for the Kiddie Parade

By News-Sentinel Staff

For much of the Baby Boomer generation, when asked “Hey kids, what time is it?” they would automatically respond, “It’s Howdy Doody time” in response to the opening lines of the most popular kids program on television.

But in September with the approach of the annualGrape Festival and Harvest Fair, if one asks the younger set in Lodi, “Hey, kids, what time is it?” you liable to get the answer, “It’s Kiddie Parade time.”

Yes, it’s that time of year again when more than 1,500 kids — ranging in age from 1 to 12 — will parade down School Street and while their parents, relatives, siblings and neighbors line the sidewalks and cheer them on.

“And they will march forth in scouting attire or in costumes along with floats depicting and celebrating this year’s Lodi Grape Festival and Harvest Fair theme of “California Dreamin’.”

And everyone — parader and spectator alike — will proclain that it’s a great way to spend a sunny Saturday morning.

And that the way it has always been, the community turning out and watching the children of Lodi having fun in their parade — and it’s a tradition that dates back to 1937.

The paraders will make their way down School Street to Oak Street before turning west and marching down to Hutchins Street Square where the winners will be announced and all participants will receive ribbons and refreshments.

The Downtown Lodi Business Partnership has sponsored the parade since 1999. Prior to that time, the Downtown Merchants Association sponsored the event for many years after taking it over from one of the original sponsors, the “Horribles,” which started it all in 1937 — just a few years after the modern Grape Festival was brought back to life thanks to the efforts of then Acting Police Chief Clarence Jackson.

At some point after, the Kiddie Parade was formally tied into the festival by using the same theme — as long as it was not too closely related to the selling of wine for in the early days the festival was known as the Lodi Grape Festival and National Wine Show.

During World War II, the Grape Festival celebration was suspended, but the Kiddie Parade went on as scheduled. There was a reported 1,000 entries in the parade which was quite something for that era, especially given the population of the town.

For a brief time the Junior Chamber of Commerce took over the sponsorship and running of the parade and subsequently the Downtown Merchants accepted the responsibility for the yearly event.

During that time, various merchants voluntarily chaired the event including Judy Peterson of Pret’s and Barbara McWilliams of Poser’s TV, both of whom spent several years running the event.

Once again this year, the children of Lodi will turn out in a parade that promises to be as much fun as ever with several thousands marching along the city’s streets and many more lining the sidewalks to see the event pass by.