July 4th Paonia Cherry Days

Fourth of July is the big local Cherry Days festival. We took the entire day off to enjoy the show. It starts early in the morning with a pancake breakfast benefit for the local fire department. Next is the Cherry Days Parade. If you aren't in the parade you are watching it.



The fire department and anyone with a neat old car is in it. A Cherry Day Queen and King from the high school is crowned.


Clubs and organizations also participate from the Boy Scouts to Rotary.



Of course every politician running for local office is also in and most are handing out candy or something.







Any Paonia High School class that is having a reunion this year will put in an entry.





The clown band has been an institution for at least the last 50 years or longer.



There are wonderful restored old tractors and equipment that get hauled out every year.





Ranchers and horse clubs also turn out. There is a fairly big draft horse group locally and some of the carriages are really nice.





The North Fork Horse Patrol does mountain search and rescues and is made up of local ranchers and anyone with a good mountain horse who is interested. They also sponsor the yearly rodeo and bull riding competitions.





The parade ends at the town park and there is music, a carnival and booths.



We had a great time and then went to the annual Historical Society Ice Cream Social. It's our big fund raiser each year.

Got home to take a picture of Mount Lamborn. The rule of thumb is that if there is snow on Lamborn on July 4th there is decen tirrigation water. We have more snow left than we have had for years.