The Dixon Chamber of Commerce hosted the 148th annual Dixon May Fair Parade at 10 a.m. May 10. The parade featured 135 entries, with more than70 businesses and organizations represented. Dixon Community Theater won the local adult floats class.

DIXON, CA (MPG) - The Dixon Chamber of Commerce hosted the 148th annual Dixon May Fair Parade at 10 a.m. May 10 throughout downtown Dixon.

The oldest state-affiliated parade in California featured 135 entries, with more than 70 businesses and organizations represented. Each entry followed the theme of “flower power” and was judged by the Pacific Coast Judges Association and the California State Horsemen’s Association.

Forty-two entries placed overall.

Dixon Little League’s Emerald T-ball float won Best in Show and the Placer County 4-H Drill Team won for their mounted sweepstakes entry.

Floats were judged based on two categories and 24 classes. The senior category comprised participants aged 14 or older, whereas the junior category involved participants aged 13 or younger.

According to Shauna Manina, president and CEO of the Dixon Chamber of Commerce, the parade was a great success. She thanked the City of Dixon and community for their support.

Graded classes included Best in Show, Sweepstakes, local adult and youth floats, local commercial floats, musical units, drill/dance teams, color guard, drum majors, automobiles, motorcycles, and junior and senior novelties.

According to Morgan Hicks, the owner of Dixon Dance Studio and first-place winner of the senior specialty/dance class, the dancers rehearsed for a month and a half in preparation for the Dixon May Fair Parade.

“We have a truck and 50-plus dancers. This is probably our 25th time in the parade but I have been doing it since I was a kid,” said Hicks.

Kelly Pidgeon James of the Dixon Community Theater, whose float won first-place in the local adult class, hopes to create something bigger and better after winning best in show at the 2024 May Fair Parade. 

“Cheryl Sommers and I wanted to do something bigger, which led us to the idea for the float,” said James. “The float inspired the idea for our musical, ‘Alice’s Wonderland.’”

Soroptimist International of Dixon also won first-place in the decorated automobile class. According to Soroptimist International President Barbara Rigdon, the parade is one of many community events consistently supported over the years.

“We’re really excited to be here and participate,” said Rigdon.

Other first-place entries are as follows. In mounted groups, the Sheriff’s Mounted Posse won first-place. In local youth, Dixon Girls Softball achieved a clean sweep, with Sandlot Sisters winning first, Diamond Girls winning second and the Nightmares winning third. For local commercial floats, Quick Quack Car Wash took first-place.

Regarding musical units, Dixon High School won the high school class, while the Dixon Scottish Cultural Association earned first in the open class, designated for entries that do not fit in other classes. Drill teams were represented by Recology, winning first place for the open senior class, and Travis Air Force Base, winning first in the military class.

Dixon High School took first-place for open color guard and senior drum major, while the Scottish American Military Society won for military color guard. For automobiles, Roy Powell won in antiques (1916 to 1929), Recology won for classics (1930 to 1948), Sheila Ernst won for milestone (1949 to 1969), Michael and Aleah Marsden won for custom builds, Lobo Mechanical won for commercial autos, and the Valley Glen Community Golf Cart group took top honors for auto clubs. The Motorcycle category was won by Sam Fernandez for his custom bike, and the Veteran Riders Motorcycle Club was victorious in the club class.

Ramtown Karate won first for novelty junior entries, while Aggie Animal Clinic won for novelty senior entries.

The parade was judged by the Pacific Coast Judges Association and the California State Horsemen’s Association, and included categories for Best in Show, Sweepstakes, local adult and youth floats, local commercial floats, musical units, drill/dance teams, color guard, drum majors, automobiles, motorcycles, and junior and senior novelties.

The Best in Show and mounted sweepstakes winners were awarded $250 and a trophy. Local youth and adult floats received $100 and a certificate for first, $75 and a ribbon for second, and $50 and a ribbon for third. Local commercial floats earned $75 and a certificate for first, $50 and a certificate for second, and $25 and a ribbon for third. Every other class was awarded a certificate and ribbon for first place, along with ribbons for both second and third places.

According to Dixon Chamber President and CEO Shauna Manina, the Dixon May Fair parade was a great success.

“It takes a lot of people to make the parade happen. The Dixon Chamber of Commerce is grateful to the City of Dixon for their partnership with the parade, to our many sponsors, to all those who entered, to the incredible volunteers and to the community for its support. The parade is one of those old-fashioned traditional hometown events that signify what a wonderful community we have in Dixon,” said Manina.

For more information, visit online dixonchamber.org or call 707-678-2650.