Paso Robles celebrates 95 years of tradition at Pioneer Day Parade

By Camille DeVaul · Mon Oct 20 2025

From antique tractors to bean feeds, Paso Robles celebrates nearly a century of hometown traditions and family fun

All photos by Derek Luff/PRP

PASO ROBLES — Paso Robles marked a major milestone on Saturday, Oct. 11, with the 95th Annual Pioneer Day. Since its founding in 1931, Pioneer Day has celebrated the spirit of Paso’s earliest settlers, and this year’s event once again filled downtown with the sights, sounds, and warmth of community tradition.

The day began with the iconic parade down Spring Street, featuring a procession of antique tractors, horse-drawn wagons, marching bands, sports teams, and community groups. The Paso Robles High School Bearcat Band led the way, followed by a colorful array of local organizations, 4-H clubs, and families proudly representing their Paso roots. The parade’s Sweepstakes Award went to Santos Bros. Plumbing, while the Queen’s Court received the Judges Award. Other top honors included the Queen’s Award to the Ladies of the Barbary Coast, the Marshal’s Award to JB Dewar Tractor Restoration, and the Belle’s Award to Covell’s Clydesdale Ranch.

At the heart of the celebration was the free bean feed, a time-honored tradition carried on by the Paso Robles Lions Club for nearly 80 years. Longtime Lions member Nick Sherwin, who has helped with the bean feed for three decades, described the friendly rivalry that continues each year: “It's a tradition that the Lions Club does the cooking and then when it comes to serving the beans to the public, the fire department steps in and takes over half the unit and the Lions take over the other half and it was sort of a compete for customers. Just all in fun. But it's a tradition that goes back to the volunteer fire department days.”

The process started before dawn, with dry beans soaking at 6 a.m. and cooking by 7, filling the air around City Park with a familiar, savory aroma that has signaled Pioneer Day for generations.

Around the park, visitors enjoyed a variety of contests and old-fashioned fun. The Whiskerino Contest crowned James Prizmich as Best Overall, while Nathan Williams took home the title for Fullest Beard and Jason Bravo for Best Mustache. At the Horseshoe Tournament, Frank Madden won the Men’s Division, and Torrey Owens claimed victory in the Women’s Division. The Pioneer Pet Show saw Honeydew the goat, shown by John Eddy, named Best Behaved Pet, and Peewee the mini Hereford, shown by Kinsley Nerelli, honored as Pioneer Pet of the Year.

Younger generations carried on the legacy through the Little Cowboy/Cowgirl and Pioneer Contests, where Avery McFarland was named Pioneer Girl, and Everest Robinson, Oliver Worthman, and Austin James Gross shared the title of Little Cowboy.

Following the parade, crowds gathered at the Paso Robles Event Center for the return of the Pioneer Games, a newer but fast-growing tradition. This year’s winners included Kienun Kocan and Eden Casillas in the Bale Wagon race, Matt Carroll in the Celebrity Tractor Tire Race, and Hayden Rohrer and Spencer Degnan in Hay Stealing with an impressive 31 bales. Justin Brush and Zach Taylor topped the Antique Car Potato Race, and Kyleigh Jensen won the Women’s Trailer Backing event. Tractor competitions were also fierce, with Chris Parrish taking first in the Tractor Stake and Christopher Jewett in the Tractor Keyhole.

The Gymkhana and Dummy Roping events showcased local youth horsemanship and skill, with standout performances from Blake Peterson, Tegan Robinson, Ella Feliz, and Claire Johnsen across various age divisions.

Overseeing this year’s celebration was Pioneer Day Committee Chair Lori Woods, whose family has been part of Paso Robles’ history for generations. Woods, who joined the committee in 2009, said the goal was to honor the past while keeping traditions alive for future generations.

Leading up to the big day, the community celebrated its Pioneer Day Royal Court, including Grand Marshal Gary Tucker, Queen Lorraine Cagliero, and Olivia Anderson of York Mountain, along with attendants from across North County. Festivities in their honor — from the Pioneer Royalty Dinner to the Old Timers’ BBQs — set the stage for Saturday’s grand celebration.

You can learn more about this year’s Pioneer Royals in the October issue of Paso Magazine or pasoroblespress.com

As the final floats passed and the last pots of beans were emptied, Paso Roblans left City Park reminded of what Pioneer Day represents — a celebration not just of history, but of community, continuity, and home.

Photos from the Old Timer's BBQ held at the Paso Robles Event Center on Thursday, Oct. 9. Photos by Derek Luff/PRP