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ANNUAL COTTON FESTIVAL SLATED FOR SEPTEMBER 27
It’s that time of year again! Time for Corcoran’s Annual Cotton Festival and Parade. It’s the time of year when the weather is beginning to change, farmers are starting to reap the rewards of their cotton harvest and the entire town gets abuzz trying to get their floats and booths ready for the festival. Well, we have 47 years under our belts as far as the Cotton Festival goes, and this year we will keep some of the old traditions going, while adding some new and exciting events to our list.
Our Cotton Festival just would not be the same without starting the day with freshly made pancakes from the Corcoran Rotary Club’s Annual Pancake Breakfast. The breakfast begins at 7:30 am and lasts until 9:30 am, just enough time to finish up a great breakfast of pancakes, sausage and scrambled eggs before heading off to the parade at 10:00 am. Tickets are $5 for adults ($3 children tickets available at the door) and may be purchased by calling any local Rotarian or Darrell Frey at 559-816-0268.
Once again, Cost Less Foods was gracious enough to sponsor our parade and we anticipate some wonderful new surprises as Executive Director Darrell Frey has been busy working on ideas for the Chamber’s Annual Choo-Choo train. Sponsorship flyers are available for $50 and may be purchased through the Chamber office. The Shriners are always a favorite with their clowns entertaining the families of Corcoran, and don’t forget to take a peak at all of the farm equipment that makes our lives so much easier at harvest time.
Once again, we will be joining forces with the Corcoran Guild of Children’s Hospital Central California Kid’s Day in the Park. The Corcoran Guild will host a variety of activities at John Maroot Park immediately following the Cotton Festival Parade down Whitley Avenue. Among the events will be carnival games for the younger children, giant slides and rock walls, face painting, a magic show with Guber and Sweetpeaz, a special show featuring a Polynesian Dance Group from Corcoran, and so much more! This is one of the Corcoran Guild’s main fundraising events for Children’s Hospital, with all proceeds from the events at John Maroot Park benefiting the hospital. The Corcoran Chamber of Commerce will again host a Cotton Quilt Contest, with all quilts entered into the contest donated to the patients of Children’s Hospital after the Cotton Festival.
New to this year’s festival, is the addition of a Cotton King and Princes. As in the past, the candidates will be selling Cotton Festival Buttons for $5, which enters the purchaser into a special drawing at the Cotton Festival Parade. Show your support of our hometown gentlemen and ladies by purchasing your button from them. We will announce the King and Queen and their Court on Thursday, September 20 at Christmas Tree Park beginning at 6:00 pm. The public is welcome to attend and congratulate the winners, as they will be representing Corcoran for the upcoming year at several events.
A healthy lifestyle is important to both the young and old, and we have plenty of information and resources available to all at this year’s Cotton Festival. Children’s Hospital of Central California will have a Blood Donation Van in front of Corcoran District Hospital, with all blood donations going directly to Corcoran District Hospital. Dr. Kumar’s Office, will be hosting a screening clinic at his office, located on the corner of Hanna and Van Dorsten Avenues. Corcoran District Hospital will also have several informational booths on topics concerning health.
The Corcoran Volunteer Fire Department will be hosting their first-ever Chili Cook-Off. Entry fees for the cook-off are $50 per team, with the proceeds directly benefiting the Corcoran Volunteer Fire Department.
The day will end with a live band and street dance from 6:00-10:00 pm. This year, we have contracted with the band "August" for our street dance and can’t wait to listen and watch them perform! The band has been entertaining residents of Corcoran for nearly thirty years and plays a variety of music from Old School to Latin Rock to Oldies, which is sure to please everyone’s taste and get the residents of Corcoran on their feet.
This year’s Cotton Festival truly has something for everyone, so, let’s spend the day celebrating our number one commodity, enjoying our beautiful community and visiting with family and friends! For more information, please contact the Corcoran Chamber of Commerce office at 559-992-4514.
Administrative Professionals Day Luncheon - April 25, 2008
This annual event was originally organized in 1952 as "National Secretaries Week" by the National Secretaries Association (now known as the International Association of Administrative Professionals) in conjunction with public relations executive Harry Klemfuss and a consortium of office product manufacturers. It was established in an effort to recognize secretaries for their contributions in the workplace, and to attract people to secretarial/administrative careers. In the year 2000, IAAP announced a name change for Professional Secretaries Week and Professional Secretaries Day. The names were changed to Administrative Professionals Week and Administrative Professionals Day to keep pace with changing job titles and expanding responsibilities of today's administrative workforce. Over the years, Administrative Professionals Week has become one of the largest workplace observances. The event is celebrated worldwide, bringing together millions of people for community events, educational seminars, and individual corporate activities recognizing support staff with gifts of appreciation.
For more information or to purchase tickets, please contact Lisa Shaw at the Corcoran Chamber of Commerce office: 559-992-4514.
Outdoor Concert and Movies - June through August 2008
Bring your lawn chairs and join us June through August for free music and movies, co-sponsored by the Corcoran Chamber of Commerce. The event will feature a live band from 6:30-8:30 pm in Christmas Tree Park and a movie which will begin at 8:45 pm All movies will be new releases and will be rated PG-13. For more information, please contact the Corcoran Chamber of Commerce at 559-992-4514. Last year's entertainment included the following:
Community Christmas Tree Celebration and Parade - December 11, 2008
In 1921, Corcoran harvested its first Christmas Tree and brought it back to life with colorful lights and decorations. Today, Corcoran is among one of the few cities in the nation that has continuously harvested and decorated a tree to kick off the holiday season.
In the early days, right after World War I, Gerald Thomas Post 144, American Legion, members of the Corcoran Volunteer Fire Department and old San Joaquin Power Company, all banded together and trekked to the high Sierras to harvest a beautiful large silver tip pine Christmas Tree, which was brought back to town and erected in the intersection of Whitley and Chittenden Avenues.
The city streets of Corcoran
Night Photo, 1960's.
The year 2007 was the 87th continuous year this Christmas tradition has been followed. The harvest crew consisted of five men and several women and children who left Corcoran in ten vehicles early in the morning to make their trip up to 7,000 foot elevation. The 85 foot tall silver tip pine tree was promptly selected, harvested, loaded on special cradles and then placed on the bed of a large flatbed hauling truck. A picnic lunch was then enjoyed by all. The tree was erected and decorated the next week, ready for Santa's arrival at the Christmas Parade. After the holiday celebration, the Christmas tree was taken down, cut into pieces and recycled for next year's Christmas in the Park for firewood.
Corcoran's
Christmas Tree
before cutting.
Corcoran's Christmas Tree,
making the final cuts.
The tree was then decorated and became the centerpiece of the Corcoran Community Christmas Celebration and Parade. The celebration always included Santa Claus coming to town to see the children, who always had a special treat for them. In the peak years, an estimated 3,500 children met Santa under the tree.
Traditionally, the tree trip is made the weekend before Thanksgiving; the tree is erected and decorated the weekend after Thanksgiving; the Christmas Parade when Santa greets the children is on a Thursday early in December and the tree is displayed for seven weeks and retired on the weekend after News Year's Day.
A community event,
getting children of all ages invlolved.
Adding the final touches
to the Christmas Tree.
• American Made Non-Harley Bikes
• Touring (Ultra, Electra Glide, Road King)
• Special Construction (Under $35,000 and Over $35,000)
• Bullet Bikes (Under $15,000 and Over $15,000)
• Trikes
• Vintage Old-School Chopper
• Bobber
• ATV (Quads and Utlity Vehicle)
Calendar of Events
Every year, the Corcoran Chamber of Commerce hosts several events. These events allow for great networking opportunities for Chamber Members, as well as loads of fun for the community and its businesses.
Membership
News & Events
Annual Banquet-January 30, 2008
To kick off the new year, the Corcoran Chamber of Commerce will hold its 88th Annual Banquet with awards recognizing the Man of the Year, Woman of the Year, Youth Citizen of the Year, Organization of the Year and a special Commercial Improvement Award.
This event features a delicious buffet dinner by Cal's Catering, a special awards ceremony and a table decorating contest. This table decorating contest allows several Chamber of Commerce Members to participate in a friendly competition as well as a unique way to showcase their business. Enter your business in the contest today by clicking on the link below.
Ready for the traditional
lighting of the tree.
