Fourth of July Parade and Celebration

The Sonoma Community Center presents another family-fun-filled Fourth of July celebration and parade, this year saluting “Community Traditions.”
The 10 a.m. parade will honor the families of the Valley who first settled the agricultural land, and whose way of life continues to honor Valley tradition. The fun begins at 9 a.m. when the Plaza comes alive with food, music, dance and art.
The Grand Marshals are the Castagnasso Clydesdales to be driven by Tony Knecht, whose great-great-grandfather, Andre Castagnasso, settled in Sonoma in 1870. In 1900, his son Harry started a business hauling cobblestones and produce to San Francisco. By 1923, the family was raising its own Clydesdales.
Knecht continues to raise and train the horses at the family home just off the Sonoma Plaza. He and his distinctive horses “really sum up the tradition of this town,” said Kathy Swett, SCC executive director. “We’re very proud of our grand marshals this year – they’re the real deal.”
Other families who settled Sonoma Valley’s agricultural land will be honored as well, both with the SCC’s own parade entry and local livestock “brands” carried on horseback by family members.
Nothing says hometown like a hometown band. After the traditional patriotic ceremony, the one and only Sonoma Hometown Band kicks off the live music on the lawn at 11:30 a.m., followed by the Fondettes at 12:30 p.m. At 1 p.m. Thin Man kicks it up a notch, followed by the Sean Carscadden Trio at 3 p.m. The Robledo Family Winery is the wine sponsor for the annual Fourth of July Plaza Celebration.
The parade will follow its traditional route around the Plaza: First Street East to Napa Street, then along Napa Street to, and then up, First Street West. No parking will be allowed on the Plaza after 6 a.m. – vehicles on the street later than that will be towed away.

Sonoma Community Center’s 2009 Old Fashioned Fourth of July Celebration schedule of events.

Saturday, July 4, 2009
Around the Plaza and behind City Hall
9:00am – Plaza celebration begins
10:00am – Parade begins
11:30am – Hometown Band concert
12:00pm – Patriotic Ceremony
12:15pm – The Fondettes performance
1:00pm – Music on the Lawn with Thin One Man
1:45pm – Parade awards
3:00pm – Music on the Lawn with The Sean Carscadden Band
5:00pm – Plaza Celebration concludes

Wine Sponsor Robledo Family Winery

Robledo Family Winery has stepped up to support Sonoma Community Center’s production of the Old Fashioned Fourth of July Parade and Plaza Celebration.

The Community Center is grateful for this partnership and encourages the community to make an appointment to visit the Robledo Family Winery tasting room. The tasting room houses many of the oak barrels the winery uses for the aging process. Along the walls are many beautiful old photos from Mexico and stories about the family. The best part of a tasting there is that there is almost always a family member behind the bar.

2009 Fourth of July Patriotic Ceremony
(Begins at approximately noon)

Home Town Band – Richard Schneider, Director
Welcome, City of Sonoma – Ken Brown, Mayor
Presentation of Colors – Redwood Empire Composite Squadron #57, Civil Air Patrol
Star Spangled Banner – The Fondettes
Recognition of Special Guests – Ken Brown, Mayor
Jack Lundgren – President, SCC
Sonoma City Council – Steve Barbose, Ken Brown, Laurie Gallian, Joanne Sanders, August Sebastiani
Linda Kelly – City Manager
Elizabeth Kemp – Alcalde
Linda Rawls – Treasure
Cheryl Diehm – Representing Mike Thompson and
Lynn Woolsey
Valerie Brown – First District Supervisor

Introductions – Ken Brown, Mayor
Congressional Proclamation – Cheryl Deihm
Speaker – Valerie Brown
Closing remarks and introduction of The Fondettes – Ken Brown, Mayor

Sonoma Community Center extends its thanks and appreciation to all of the participants in the Patriotic Ceremony, especially The Home Town Band.

Food and Game Booth Participants

Shaved ice snow cones – SV High School Music Department
Hot Dogs – Rotary Club of Sonoma Valley
Hamburgers – St. Andrew Church
Popcorn and caramel apples – SV Special Olympics
Tri-tip sandwiches – VOM Volunteer Fire Department
Tamales plate – SV Youth Soccer
Ice Cream – American Legion Post #489
BBQ pulled pork sandwiches – VOM Teen Center
Nachos and Lemonade – Sassarini Elementary School

Games & Entertainment

Kids games – Dragon Head Productions
Potato toss – Boy Scout Troop 222
Climbing wall – Sonoma Christian Fellowship
Inflatables – SV Mothers Club
PoPo the Clown – Sonoma Community Center

Fourth of July music line-up:

The Fondettes: Playing at 12:15 p.m.
Vocalists: Kristen Best, Sophia Flores, and Michaela Thomas

The Fondettes are a vocal trio with rich three part harmony and jazzy tone quality. By singing almost solely Andrews Sisters’ covers, they don’t try to reinvent the music, but rather restore and carry on the classic music of the 1940’s.

Thin One Man: Playing at 1 p.m.
Vocals and Guitar: Philip Herrschaft
Guitar and Vocals: Jason Huybers
Bass: Ryan Taylor
Drums: Nicky Chords

Thin One Man is a Sonoma based original rock group whose style is funky-rock with blues and jazz undertones. Formerly students of Sonoma County Music, the band began playing together at weekly jam sessions. Soon thereafter, the band developed its original sound and started to play professionally, gaining a loyal following in the process.

The Sean Carscadden Trio: Playing at 3 p.m.
Vocals and Guitar: Sean Carscadden
Bass: Kyle St. John
Drums: JB Duff
The Sean Carscadden Trio is a Sonoma based band that performs a fun and eclectic mix of blues, rock, and old school R&B. Sean Carscadden has played with various bay area acts including The Jethro Jeremiah Band and Neo Soul singer Navery, and has opened for British rapper Lady Sovereign, folk singer Amos Lee, guitarist Robben Ford and the Steve Miller Band.