By Byron Croft
For The Alpine Sun
The Annual “Pine Valley Day’s” Parade, BBQ, Dance, and Festival kicked off for another year on July 26. Attendees were treated to what is billed as the “Best parade in East County”, live music, food of all kinds and a horseshoe tournament.
This year’s event was even bigger and better than the last according to many.
By Byron Croft
For The Alpine Sun
The Annual “Pine Valley Day’s” Parade, BBQ, Dance, and Festival kicked off for another year on July 26. Attendees were treated to what is billed as the “Best parade in East County”, live music, food of all kinds and a horseshoe tournament.
This year’s event was even bigger and better than the last according to many.
“I love coming to this. I enjoy the music and all the crafts and stuff that the vendors bring. I like walking around with my dog Stardust, and just enjoying the festivities”.
There seems to be something for everyone at the Pine Valley Day’s “Country Market Place”, a collection of tents and booths set up by artisans and vendors from Pine Valley and the surrounding communities.
One of the vendors, first-timer Evangelina Jones, a retired San Diego State University
Professor brought her collection of handmade vintage-style and rockabilly aprons to sell. “I retired from teaching, and this is something I do for fun. I got a flyer about the festival and decided ‘why not?’ and came on out”.
There were hand-made crafts galore, furniture, garden decorations, a hula-hoop booth, and even a children’s book author.
Melanie Ross, a local resident wrote the children’s book “The Hope Chest”, and brought along her books to read and sign. Ross, along with her husband, are former journalists, now enjoying the challenges of authoring and publishing her children’s stories.
Another local, Thomas Skinner of UnderstandingPTSD.org , was there with his service dog, “Scrubs”, and spoke about his adventures riding his bicycle, with his dog, 4,012 miles from La Mesa, California, to Vermont, to raise awareness for veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). He made the entire journey via bicycle, speaking along the way at schools, churches and community centers, about PTSD awareness and what he calls “What Happens After ‘Welcome Home’”.
“Many don’t understand the stigma of PTSD and the challenges our veterans face in obtaining help. Scrubs and I have a mission to help those who need it, and also help others understand it [PTSD]” said Skinner.
The smell of kettle-cooked popcorn, and the sound of children playing in “bouncy-houses”, the clinking of horseshoes finding their target and even the content cooing of Alpacas were all part of the day’s offerings.
Pine Valley Day’s Parade and Festival happens every summer, and is fun and recreation welcome to all.
