The Wife of a Dairyman ~ Churned in Cali: Fun at the Butter and Eggs Day Festival

April 25, 2010

Fun at the Butter and Eggs Day Festival

Yesterday we attended Petaluma's annual Butter and Eggs Day Festival. This annual event draws over 30,000 attendees. As a portion of Petaluma's agriculture history, the city is known as the birthplace of the incubator which then began it's title as The Egg Basket of the World and it was also known as one of the premier dairy regions in the country. At one time up to 600 million eggs were shipped out of Petaluma to San Francisco and around the world on an annual basis. Poultry farming offered a cost effective business that could operate year round being conducive to Petaluma's climate where temperatures rarely dip below freezing.

Every year the city pays homage to this part of it's agriculture history by celebrating with Butter and Eggs Day.

The day kicks off at noon with a parade that lasts approximately two hours or so. The theme, of course is centered around chickens and dairy. After the parade concludes, you can amuse yourself with the block long food court offering festival foods and beverages, arts and crafts exhibitors and activities to entertain kids with inflatable bounce houses, rides, and hands-on activities. This is one of the North Bay’s largest events.

Here are some photos of the parade~

Remember the Dairy Princess Ball we attended a few weeks ago? Here they are in the parade; Dairy Princess Emilie Strand, 1st Alternate Regina Camozzi (left), and 2nd Alternate Stephanie Rowely (right)....

Antique dairy truck.........

Petaluma Riding and Driving Club Color Guard. I can't take enough horse photos, as you can probably tell. It always amazes me how horses in parades rarely 'spook' even in the midst of thousands of people, sirens blaring at different intervals, bands playing, kids running everywhere and just odd looking things everywhere you look. SO well trained!