Duarte’s Biggest Annual Celebration - Route 66 Parade, City Picnic And Vintage Car Show Set for Sept. 19

Duarte’s 14th annual Salute to Route 66 Parade on Sept. 19 will be a celebration of youth with 17 year-old Zac Sunderland — the teen who recently became the first person under the age of 18 to sail solo around the world — leading the way as the parade’s grand marshal.

“We’re very excited about having Zac Sunderland as our Grand Marshal. We think the crowd is going to love seeing and meeting this amazing and courageous young man,” said parade director K.C. Caracci.

This year’s parade will step off at 10 a.m. at the northeast corner of Huntington Dr. and Cotter St. and proceed east one mile along Duarte’s historic Route 66.

The Duarte High School Marching Band will be among seven high school bands that will participate and compete for trophies, according to parade committee band chairman, Tony Molina. Also participating will be Don Lugo High School, Chino; San Dimas High School; South El Monte High School; Rim of the World High School, Lake Arrowhead; Diamond Ranch High School, Pomona; and Workman High School, City of Industry.

In all, the parade will feature more than 1,000 kids of all ages from Duarte and neighboring communities representing schools, churches, and a variety of sports and recreation programs. Youth entries will include: the Duarte Youth Boxing Club team, featuring Duarte’s Paola Arana, who won a Silver Medal in the USA Boxing National Championships, Duarte Child Development, Royal Oaks Elementary, Valley View Elementary, Maxwell Elementary, Royal Oaks Elementary, Beardslee Elementary, Ballet Foklorico Mestizo, DYAC, Girl Scouts Monrovia/Duarte, Duarte’s Promise – The Alliance for Youth, A Game Fundamentals Basketball Clinic, Northview Intermediate School, Academy of Karate, Cub Scout Pack 147, Boy Scout Troup 185, Mayor’s Youth Council, Santa Anita Family YMCA, and Andres Duarte Elementary, among others.

The theme of this year’s parade is “Journey Down the Mother Road” and doing that in style will be dozens of antique and classic cars, equestrian units, and specialty entries with participants coming from throughout Southern California to join in the celebration of Route 66.

Returning to delight the spectators will be the Awesome “A” Shrine Club zig-zagging along the parade route in their tiny cars. Also back will be the Reel Cowboys, actors and stunt people from Western films paying tribute to the cowboy stars and heroes of yesteryear, and Jann of Sweden, riding his prize-winning Palomino. An always popular entry with the crowd, also returning, is the Stormtrooper 501st Legion from the Star Wars films. The Southern California Military Vehicle Collectors Club will also display a commanding presence in the parade.

Taking their bows in the parade will be members of Duarte’s two award-winning senior softball teams, the Route 66’ers and the “D” Crew, who recently won Gold and Silver trophies at the Pasadena Senior Olympics.

Among the many community groups participating will be The Monrovia/Duarte Black Alumni Association with 2009 honorees D.U.S.D. School Board member Ken Bell and Clarence Shaw of Monrovia. Foothill Unity Center and the kids from the D.A.R.T. Duarte Area Resource Team will be riding in a 1955 Mack B Fire Truck. Other local groups include The Rotary Club of Duarte, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Temple Station Posse, Azusa Golden Days Parade Committee, Duarte Chamber of Commerce, Duarte Kiwanis, and the Friends of the Duarte Library.

Immediately following the parade, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., the public is invited to enjoy music, food, and good times at the City Picnic and Route 66 Classic Car Show at Royal Oaks Park. The picnic celebrates the 52nd anniversary of the City of Duarte’s incorporation. The Peggy Nelson Project rock ‘n roll band, and the Hip Trigger band featuring great female rock vocal hits will highlight the on-stage musical entertainment.

There will also be special performances by local talent contest winners, mini carnival booth games, crafts, playground games for the kids and more. A special display will honor the rich history of the historic Duarte School House building as it celebrates its 100th birthday this year. The schoolhouse is now the home of the Old Spaghetti Factory. Anyone who attended the schoolhouse is asked to contact the Duarte Recreation Dept. at (626) 357-7931, ext. 203.

Grand Marshal Zac Sunderland will be on hand to meet the public and sign autographs alternately at the Car Show and at the Picnic.

Dozens of community groups will host food, craft and game booths on the City Picnic side of the park. Dozens more artisans and crafters will sell and display their works on the Car Show side of the park, where visitors can also enjoy a close-up look at the many beautiful classic cars from the parade.

Leading the list of businesses helping to support the parade this year are Parade sponsors: City of Duarte, Southern California Edison, and StorAmerica. Breakfast sponsor is Royal Oaks Manor. Mother Road sponsors are: Home Depot, AT&T Yellow Pages, and Burrtec Waste. Gold sponsors are City of Hope, Joe’s Place, and Elks Lodge 1427.

Opened in 1926, Route 66 was the first highway to connect Chicago to Los Angeles. It was nicknamed the Main Street of America because it passed through the heart of communities, including Duarte, for more than 2,000 miles from the Great Lakes to the Pacific Ocean. Route 66 was decommissioned in 1973 when the interstate highway was completed, but the love and lore of Route 66 lives on.

Groups interested in participating in the parade, Car Show or Crafts Fair can download application forms from the parade website, www.duarteroute66parade.com. The website is also the place to get the latest updates on the parade and Route 66 Car Show activities. For more information by phone, call (626) 260-0993.