On Saturday, October 12, newly arrived and deeply rooted residents around Paso Robles will come together for the 94th Annual Pioneer Day, filled with our exclusive parade, bean feed, Whiskerino Contest, family reunions, and more. Leading the charge this year is Lori Woods as the Pioneer Day Chairman, who brings in generations of ties to the Paso Robles area.
Pioneer Day and all its traditions began back in 1931 and have since been held in October on Spring Street, with the Paso Robles City Park sitting as the heart of it all. The first Pioneer Day debuted on October 12, 1931, as a day to bring together the town’s city folk and farmers as a way to say thank you. It is a town homecoming filled with antique tractors and equipment, dancing horses, marching bands, high school sports teams, and community groups.
While faces may change, and traditions come and go, the motto will always remain the same — leave your pocketbook at home.
Lori first came into the Pioneer Day Committee fold in 2009 when her Aunt Denise Schinbine brought her under the wing. The next year she was in charge of organizing participants in the parade, keeping everything in order. However, her first experience with the committee was back in high school when she was a Belle representing Templeton. This year, Denise’s daughter Kelli is taking the lead on the parade line-up.
Hometown may as well be Lori’s middle name, because she is about as warm and hometown as it gets. She was a Bearcat cheerleader, and has deep family ties in the area. Her Grandpa Hillis Schinbine was born right on Vine Street and lived in the home property for most of his life. He was actually a twin whose brother Henry was part of the original Paso Robles Volunteer Fire Crew that helped with the Bean Feed on Pioneer Day. Her Great-Grandparents, Martin and Mabel Abramson, both grew up in Templeton and sold daffodils.
“My mom says I’m following up on a calling,” Lori laughs.
Though Lori hasn’t seen the parade from a spectator’s point of view since high school, she knows the parade inside and out. Hearing from people about their experience on Pioneer Day is one of her highlights, “That’s my favorite part [of the parade] is just everyone getting to experience something that it truly is more like a Hallmark movie.”
While many of our Pioneer Day traditions go back decades, Lori says they are welcoming a new one into the fold this year. Following Gymkhana at the Paso Robles Event Center, the first annual Pioneer Games will make their debut. The free event welcomes everyone to join in on the fun that includes the Hay Hurdle Relay, Hay Loading, Hay Stealing Contest, Tug of War between the Bearcats and Greyhounds, Antique Car Potato Race, Women’s Truck & Horse Trailer Backing, Tractor Stake Race, and the Crawler Tractor Pole Pending.
Lori is excited to officially welcome everyone to Pioneer Day this year: “Whether your family has been here 100 years or been here one, if you put roots here, you’re a local, in my opinion.”
Leading up to Pioneer Day, we celebrated our Pioneer Day Royal Court, which this year includes Grand Marshal Dick Woodland, Queen Bonnie Cary Thorndyke, and our Belle Reese Jaureguy, who is representing the Shandon area. Reese is joined by six attendants all representing the many areas that make Paso Robles whole. Friends and family gathered to celebrate the royals at the Pioneer Day Announcement Dinner and Old Timer’s BBQ hosted by the San Miguel Lions Club back in August, and then more festivities like the Lady’s Luncheon and Kickoff Party in September.
Pioneer Royals are an integral part of the Pioneer Day phenomena, and you will be able to read more about this year’scourt in this issue of Paso Robles Press Magazine.
If you capture some of these memories this October, we would love to share them with the community. Please send your Pioneer Day memories and photos to editor@13stars.media to be featured in a future issue of Paso Robles Press.
October 12 Pioneer Day Schedule
7 a.m. | Traditional Bean Cooking Begins
Paso Robles City Park
8 a.m. | Children’s Pet Contest
Paso Robles City Park Gazebo
8:15 a.m. | Little Cowboy / Cowgirl Contest
Paso Robles City Park Gazebo
10 a.m. | Pioneer Day Parade
Starts at 16th and Spring streets
12 / Noon | Free Bean Feed
Paso Robles City Park
12 / Noon | Carnegie Library & Historical Museum Opens in City Park
12 / Noon | Pioneer Park / Museum Activities
2010 Riverside Ave. / Antique Tractor & Wagon Display and Vintage Engine Show
12:30 p.m. | Whiskerino Contest
Paso Robles City Park
1 p.m. | Horseshoe Pitching Contest
Paso Robles City Park
1 p.m. | Gymkhana
Paso Robles Event Center
3 p.m. | Pioneer Games
Paso Robles Event Center
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