The Pioneer Day Parade starts promptly at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 8, in downtown Paso Robles

PASO ROBLES — The 92nd Annual Paso Robles Pioneer Day is nearly here, but Roblans, young and old, have been preparing for the traditional outing for weeks. 

This year’s Paso Robles Pioneer Day Marshal and Queen are husband and wife Harold (Howie) and Beverley (Bev) Jespersen Steinbeck. The two stand together this year as the 92nd Pioneer Day Marshal and Queen — and they are the fourth couple to do it together. 

The Steinbecks are proudly representing their seven generations of pioneers in this year’s Paso Robles Pioneer Day Parade on Saturday, Oct. 8. By their side will be the several Steinbeck generations to follow them, carrying on the legacy.

You can find their family’s stories in the October issue of Paso Magazine.

Festivities were started in August with the Pioneer Royalty dinner, followed by the San Miguel Lions Old Timer’s Barbecue held at the San Miguel Community Park. The barbecue, which was put on hold for two years, offers a free dinner to anyone over 80 years old.

Then in September, the ladies of Pioneer Day celebrated with the Pioneer Ladies Luncheon, followed by the Pioneer Day Kick-Off Party.

On Saturday, Oct. 1, the San Miguel Parlor No. 94 of the Native Daughters of the Golden West hosted the Pioneer Ladies Tea at the Culinary Academy in Paso Robles. According to Pioneer Day Chair Margaret Wicks, the tea has been an annual event for over 50 years and has been hosted by various groups throughout the years.

“The purpose of the tea is to honor the Queen and other pioneer women and their descendants,” Wicks said. “One of the traditions is for the Queen to donate a china tea set to the hosting organization.”

Now each year, all the teapots and tea cups are brought out of storage and used for the annual tea, creating quite a collection.

Finally, this week the Rotary will host its barbecue on Thursday, Oct. 6, at the Paso Robles Event Center and on Friday, Oct. 7, will be the Paso Robles Alumni Potluck Dinner at the Paso Robles Pioneer Museum at 5 p.m.

Finally, the day we have all been waiting for will be here. The beans will begin cooking at 7 a.m. and ready for consumption at noon. The rest of the day will be filled with contests for little cowboys, cowgirls, and even whiskers. 

“This [Pioneer Day] is the culmination of months worth of planning parties, work parties, and fundraising events and this is what we all work for and work toward,” said Wicks. “Putting on the best display of historical tractors, wagons, equestrian groups, marching bands, school groups and float entries, just to name a few. Honoring those who came before us and continuing the tradition of Pioneer Day and ‘Leave Your Pocketbook at Home.'”

The Pioneer Day Parade starts promptly at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 8, in downtown Paso Robles. The parade route starts at 16th and Spring Street and ends surrounding Paso Robles City Park.

And remember, “Leave your pocketbook at home.”

For more information on the Paso Robles Pioneer Day, visit pasoroblespioneerday.org.

Oct. 8 Pioneer Day Schedule

7 a.m. | Traditional Bean Cooking Begins

Paso Robles City Park 

8 a.m. | Children’s Pet Show, Little Cowboy / Cowgirl Contest

Paso Robles City Park Gazebo

10 a.m. | Pioneer Day Parade

Starts at 16th & Spring Street

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