Diamond Lil & the Barbary Coast Girls keep the spirit sparkling at Pioneer Day
By Camille DeVaul · Sun Oct 05 2025
By Camille DeVaul and the Paso Robles Area Historical Society
When the Paso Robles Pioneer Day Parade rolls down Spring Street this October, all eyes will be on one of the event’s most beloved and flamboyant traditions: Diamond Lil and the Girls of the Barbary Coast. With feathers, rhinestones, and flair in abundance, these ladies have been bringing a touch of theatrical charm to Pioneer Day since 1961 — and this year promises nothing less.
The 2025 Barbary Coast Girls — Madame Foxy Finley, Miss de Muir, True Blue Trish, Ravashing Rebecca, Sweet Charity, and Fancy Flory — are ready to dazzle the crowds. Their playful stage names are just the beginning; the real magic is in the gowns, boas, and larger-than-life personalities that light up Paso Robles every fall.
The story of the Barbary Coast Girls began one evening at Busi’s, a favorite Pine Street hangout in 1961. Friends Ellen Goodell, Tully Kirby, and Norma Moye wondered how they could add some lighthearted fun to Pioneer Day. Their idea? Bring dance hall girls — complete with can-can costumes — into the parade. With friends Betty Luke Williams, Nella Lipinsky, and Lydia Wolf, they stitched together their own gowns and made their first appearance riding in a surrey with the fringe on top. Paso Robles had never seen anything like it.
The following year, a generous donation from Joseph Moore of San Francisco cemented the group’s presence. He gifted the Pioneer Day Committee a Tally Ho wagon with the stipulation that it always carry the Barbary Coast Girls. That very wagon still rolls today, carrying the latest generation of these colorful women through the streets of Paso Robles.
Over the decades, the group grew, welcoming new members such as Anna Boaz, Carole Heilmann, Lois Barnes, and many others. Their costumes became even more extravagant — heavy rhinestone-encrusted dresses, tulle, feathers, and headdresses worthy of the stage. Each ensemble was paired with fishnet stockings, gloves, and shoes that often bordered on outrageous. The overall effect was dazzling, campy, and irresistibly fun.
The Barbary Coast Girls didn’t confine their sparkle to Paso Robles. They appeared in parades across the Central Coast, from Santa Barbara’s Fiesta Days to Pismo Beach’s Clam Festival, bringing home awards including multiple Grand Sweepstakes titles in the 1960s.
Of course, every wagon needed a steady hand at the reins. That role belonged to the “Diamond Jims” — a small group of gentlemen drivers including Henry Tully, the very first, and later Tom Parks, Tom Cameron, Ken Johnson, and Dud Taylor. Their job: to keep the horses calm while the ladies laughed, waved, and played to the crowd.
More than six decades later, the Barbary Coast Girls are still a highlight of Pioneer Day. While the names and faces have changed, the tradition remains the same: to add sparkle, humor, and a hint of mischief to a community celebration rooted in history.
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