Annual Twilight Parade, Healdsburg’s ‘soul and spirit,’ returns for 74th outing

When it comes to Healdsburg’s Twilight Parade, locals jokingly say about half of local residents are in the parade while the other half watch.

Minutes before the parade began Thursday, sisters Cassandra and Kathy Rivera, who grew up in Healdsburg, reminisced under sunny blue skies on what this parade — now in its 74th year — meant to them.

“It’s a good family event still,” said Cassandra Rivera, who still lives in the northern Sonoma County city now known for its wine and tourism that, in years past, was considered a sleepy farm town.

They were among thousands who came to the annual parade as part of the town’s largest community celebration to kick off the three day Future Farmers Country Fair at Recreation Park.

Kathy’s daughter, Poppy Rivera Chen, 3, wore a stylish pink and brown cowgirl outfit, complete with pink boots, as she held onto her mother while people filled the streets.

“It’s something to do, local, nearby for everybody. Doesn’t cost you too much cause you watch the parade then you get into the fair ... It’s a fun kind of activity and tradition to start with the kids,” Cassandra said as Kathy chimed in in agreement.

Police Chief Matt Jenkins kicked off the parade near St. John the Baptist Catholic Church at Matheson and East streets as participants followed behind throwing candy, beaded necklaces and other treats.

Many floats kept with this year’s theme of “2023 — Red, White, and Blue — Animal Jamboree.”

Students from Live Oak Preschool were dressed in pink pig ears, while students from West Side Elementary School wore yellow and black like bumblebees.

Children squealed with excitement when half a dozen dancing horses filed in. The horses danced in time with the live band that played ahead of them from a truck.

Between firetruck sirens, Kaley Efram said she looked forward to the fair food she would snack on later that evening.

This year the fair will make its first full return since 2019, with livestock shows and sales, live music and contests at Recreation Park.

In 2020 the “surreal” fair was fully online before organizers held a hybrid version in 2021 and 2022, said Brad Petersen, president of the fair’s board of directors.

Last year, the fair raised over $913,000 from livestock sales, with much going toward FFA and 4-H youth exhibitors and senior scholarships.

A small goat, likely to be part of the livestock shows, made its rounds at the parade on the Warm Springs 4-H float.

Everything was “all good” for Willy Bautista Cruz as he watched the parade for the first time with a handful of friends who marveled at the animals, trucks and bands that passed before them.

This was the first year he did not have to work during the parade. He and his friends looked out for familiar faces as dancers twirled in Oaxacan costumes whose bodies were covered head to toe in what looked like layers of cloth.

“The fabric of Healdsburg is woven into this parade,” said Linda Chavez, who thinks the parade has improved over the years. It has become “more representative of our community,” she said, after she named a few notable Healdsburg organizations, like the FFA, the city of Healdsburg and Corazón Healdsburg, that were part of this year’s procession.

Many people of different ages and backgrounds – some high school students, some longtime residents and others more recent – agreed that this tradition brings the community together.

“It’s the soul and spirit of Healdsburg,” Sherry Harkins said. She paused, as she extended her arm out toward the crowd. “It exemplifies everyone who lives here.”

You can reach Staff Writer Jennifer Sawhney at 707-521-5346 or jennifer.sawhney@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @sawhney_media.