Spring means hometown parades in Sonoma County

Historical records don’t agree on the precise date that the planet’s first marching band hit the pavement, but it’s easy to imagine that shortly after men and women first walked the earth, somebody started a parade.

In Sonoma County, the spring parade season is upon us. A little bit of strutting seems essential to the human spirit. Clad in uniforms, historical costumes or clown suits, human beings just love to close a few streets and then march right down the middle of them, waving or playing music.

There’s no conclusive explanation for this human compulsion to parade all over the place, but some noble attempts have been made to form a theory.

“So far as I can see,” Mark Twain wrote, “a procession has value in but two ways - as a show and as a symbol, its minor function being to delight the eye, its major one to compel thought, exalt the spirit, stir the heart and inflame the imagination.”

Here’s a preview of parades lined up for this spring. Most of the parades come with festivals attached, so there are details on those, too.

Saturday, April 4: Fool’s Day Parade - Occidental puts on one of the more informal processions you’re likely to see. From noon on, folks dressed to mark the occasion in the silliest possible fashions start to gather at the Occidental Community Center at Bohemian Highway and Graton Road. Don’t be surprised to see stilt-walkers, llamas and a marching band. At 1 p.m., the paraders strut through town and down Bohemian Highway to the Occidental Center for the Arts. Rides, refreshments and entertainment follow the parade. Anyone can participate, but to sign up, go to Facebook and join the Occidental Fools Parade group, or call 874-1778. Info: occidentalcenterforthearts.org.

Saturday and Sunday, April 18-19: Apple Blossom Festival - Sebastopol celebrates its agricultural history and heritage with food, drink, crafts and entertainment. The 69th annual parade down Main Street, starting at 10 a.m. April 18, recalls a simpler and more peaceful time. Festival hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Festival general admission: $10 in advance; $12 day of event. For ages 11-17: $6 in advance, $8 day of event. Free for age 10 and under. Ives Park, 7400 Willow St., and Sebastopol Center for the Arts, 282 High St., Sebastopol. Info: 823-3032, sebastopol.org.

Saturday, April 25: Butter and Egg Days Parade and Festival - Celebrate Sonoma County’s agricultural roots and Petaluma’s rich history at this 34th annual, all-day community festival. It runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the popular parade through downtown Petaluma starting at 11:30 a.m. Highlights include the Cutest Chick Contest for kids and the Cow Chip Throwing Contest. Free. Info: 762-9348, petalumadowntown.com.

Saturday, May 16: Luther Burbank Rose Parade and Festival - Few hometown traditions have a track record like this one. The theme for this year’s 121st event is “Out of a Story Book.” Named for Luther Burbank, the world-famous horticulturist who lived in Santa Rosa in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the parade starts downtown at 10 a.m. Free. After the parade, the fun continues with a festival in Old Courthouse Square. Info: 523-3728, roseparadefestival.com.

Thursday, May 21: Healdsburg Twilight Parade - A charming bit of hometown Americana endures in downtown Healdsburg, where the local Future Farmers of America will put on their 66th annual parade, starting at 6 p.m. By that time, savvy locals and experienced parade-goers already will have staked out a spot on the sidewalk along the parade route. Free. The parade kicks off the three-day Healdsburg Future Farmers Country Fair, running May 21-23. Info: healdsburgfair.org.

(NOTE: This story has been amended to correct the Apple Blossom Festival admission prices.)

You can reach Staff Writer Dan Taylor at 521-5243 or dan.taylor@pressdemocrat.com. Read his Arts blog at arts.blogs.pressdemocrat.com.