Attendees gather to enjoy barbecue, reminisce, and celebrate decades of community ties
By Maylia Baird
Contributing Writer
Feature Image: Three Woodlands (from left) Robert, Patrick, and Pioneer Day Marshal Dick enjoy the camaraderie and refreshments at the Paso Robles Rotary’s Old Timer BBQ on Thursday, Oct. 10. Photo by Derek Luff/PRP
PASO ROBLES — Paso Robles hosted the annual Rotary Club Old Timer BBQ on Thursday, Oct. 10, at 10 a.m. at the fairgrounds near the Paso Robles Pioneer Museum. This event started with drinks that you were able to get by purchasing drink tickets at the front booth, the barbeque lunch at 1 p.m. outside on the picnic tables, and then endedwith announcements inside one of the fairground buildings.
This event is by invite only and those invitations are sent out to those who have been in the area for 50 or more years.Primarily a male event — since the ladies have a separate tea luncheon event — it provides a reason for those longtime residents to attend this gathering, enjoy some delicious barbecue, and reconnect with old friends.
The 2024 Old Timer BBQ saw an expected crowd of 500 enjoy some delicious barbecue, have some drinks, and reconnect with old friends. Photo by Derek Luff
“I think the best memory I have is just listening to the guys when they come in,” Paso Robles Rotary President Lars Jorgensen said. “Hearing them walk down that walkway, chatting with their buddies, saying, ‘I haven’t seen you since last year.’”
He explained the importance he feels in putting this event on: “Because it gives them the chance to come out and be alive.”
The Rotary Club sends out about 700 invitations and on average expects about 500 attendees.
“Last year was the first year back from COVID and it was lighter than usual. This year it looks like the numbers are gonna be a little bit better than last year,” Mark Perry, who is a committee member and co-chairman of the Paso Robles Rotary Club, told Paso Robles Press.
The 2024 Old Timer BBQ saw an expected crowd of 500 enjoy some delicious barbecue, have some drinks, and reconnect with old friends. Photo by Derek Luff
Another fun aspect of this event is that not only will Marshal Dick Woodland be mentioned, but everyone invited will have their names announced by the Rotary Club as well. They have about 60 to 70 active members of the Rotary Club and they work hard to put on events like this one and raise money for historical and significant community events.
Community gatherings like this barbecue and Pioneer Day are important events to many in our area.
When asked what his favorite memory of the Pioneer Day Parade was, Walt Macklin from Paso Robles said, “The whole family being there, all parked there right in the street, having a row of chairs. Enjoyed it.”
He likes the Rotary Old Timer BBQ because he gets to reconnect with old friends.
“And a lot of people know me because I was in business in town there,” Macklin said. “First I had the Safeway over on 9th and Spring and then I opened the new store near Rite Aid. So I met a lot of people in town and then when you get out here you get to see a lot of old folks.”
When asked what her favorite aspect of Pioneer Day is, volunteer Ann Hansen said, “When they had the Hoosegow and everybody that was a man that was clean-shaven was thrown in the Hoosegow. That’s what the Smooth Plus Badge is about. If you’re gonna be clean-shaven and you’re a male you have to have a badge on so you don’t get in the Hoosegow, which is the jail that they haul down on the parade route. They would start growing their beards the day of the Kickoff Party and then they’re able to shave the day after Pioneer Day.”
Hansen’s mother, Susan Cocker, recalled, “We actually have a ranch out on Carrizo Plains and, you know — the original Pioneer Day — that’s what it was for: all of the businesses did it for us because we were the ones that worked so hard to grow all the food. The grain, fruit, everything was out there so that was the one day that we got to go to town for free and they would feed us.”
One of the Old Timer BBQ participants, Ed Lingquest, when asked about Pioneer Day, told Paso Robles Press, “I missed maybe two or three [parades] in my life so we always go, my whole family goes there and it’s a nice day.”
Lindquest’s family has its own history connecting it to the Paso Robles area. He recently finished creating a replica of the Creston Jail based on some photos he has of the original jail. Paso Robles Press will be publishing a story on Lindquest’s jail replica in a future issue.
