Old-Time Fun

If a single entry epitomized Saturday’s annual Simi Valley Days parade, it was the sight of George Raincock, grandson and great-grandson of Simi Valley pioneer families, chugging down Los Angeles Avenue past the judges’ stand in a bright green 1946 John Deere tractor.

Attached to the restored tractor was a small trailer filled with seven of Raincock’s nine grandchildren.

“Both George’s grandfather, Frank Runkle, and his great-grandfather, Ebert K. Bither, were in the first Simi Valley Days parade in 1932,” said Raincock’s wife, Mary. She watched her husband and grandchildren pass by from a lawn chair under a shade tree.

The tractor-trailer full of children represented exactly what Simi Valley Days officials wanted the parade to reflect: a small-town air and family tradition.

“My favorite part is seeing the old-timers. I’ve been here since 1969,” Simi Valley resident Mark Linsley said from his lawn chair on Los Angeles Avenue near Tapo Street, about three-quarters of the way down the parade route.

As Linsley spoke, Mayor Greg Stratton rode by in a convertible. Shortly thereafter came Police Chief Randy Adams.

The sight of the police chief rolling by prompted a reminder by parade announcer Bill Edwards to the thousands of onlookers: “Ladies and gentlemen, we are the safest city of cities with our population.”

Edwards himself is a Simi Valley Days old-timer, having announced the Simi Valley Days parade for his 29th year on Saturday. Edwards has apparently passed on his enthusiasm to his daughter, Mary Rhoads, who organized the parade.

As baton twirlers, dancers and costumed dogs strutted by, 3-year-old Joanne Simoni snoozed on a blanket on the curb, her face shaded with a Dodgers’ baseball cap placed by a family member.

“She woke up at 6:30 so excited to come to the parade. Then she fell asleep 10 minutes into it,” her brother said.

The Peruvian Paso parade horses with their riders, Las Mujeres, frolicked past, swathed in flower garlands. As usual, Las Mujeres took the sweepstakes award in equestrian.

Most of the Simi Valley City Council members also paraded by. Councilwoman Barbara Williamson walked the length of the route in cutoff shorts and T-shirt, shaking hands with constituents all the way. State Sen. Cathie Wright (R-Simi Valley) rode by with her daughter and granddaughter.

The parade’s grand marshal was Jacquie Richardson, chosen for her volunteerism with the Salvation Army and other agencies.

And there were marching bands aplenty from surrounding high schools. As the Thousand Oaks High School Lancers marching band walked past, playing a John Philip Sousa march, Edwards announced, “This band is always the sweepstakes winner in the Simi Valley Days parade, folks.” They were again this year.

What appeared to be all 1,800 of Simi Valley’s Boy Scouts marched by, den by den, troop by troop. Nearly as numerous were the girls representing Simi Valley’s 1,100 Girl Scouts.

None were louder, however, than the truck float carrying dozens of cheering YMCA Indian program members. Following along behind were as many waving, hollering parents.

Although the parade retains its neighborly, old-fashioned air, it’s still become a bit too big-time for Simi Valley resident Don Childers.

“When I was a kid in 1963, we didn’t have an announcer and we used to put all our chairs out in the front yard so anyone in the neighborhood could sit down and watch,” Childers said.

Rhoads, who has organized the parade for the past several years, was happy with everyone’s efforts.

“We had 113 entries this year. It all came off beautifully,” she said. “We were worried since we had to change the location this year, but it worked!”

Today is the final day of the Simi Valley Days celebration. The carnival, at Tapo and Eileen streets, runs from noon to 10 p.m., and costs $3 for adults and $1 for children under 12 and those 55 or older. Ride tickets are purchased separately.

Today’s 5K and 10K runs begin at 6 a.m. at Sinaloa Plaza between 1st Street and Madera Road on Los Angeles Avenue, and the Ugly Dog contest gets underway at 1:30 p.m. at the carnival site.

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Simi Valley Days Parade Winners

Band Sweepstakes--Thousand Oaks High School.

Musical Sweepstakes--Thousand Oaks High School; first, North Park Middle School; second, Simi Valley High School; third, Royal High School; fourth, Camarillo High School.

Drum Major, Mace--first, Thousand Oaks High School; second, Camarillo High School; third, Royal High School.

Drum Major, Military--first, North Park Middle School; second, Simi Valley High School.

Drill Team Sweepstakes Trophy--Royal High School.

Majorette Solo Twirler--first, Royal High School; second, Ranch Simi; third, Camarillo.

Majorette Team Twirling--first, Star Spangler Twirlers.

Tall Flag--first, Royal High School; second, Thousand Oaks High School; third, Simi Valley High School and Camarillo High School; fourth, North Park Middle School.

Drill Team--first, Grace Brethren High School; second, Camarillo High School.

Equestrian Sweepstakes Trophy--Las Mujeres.

Senior Mounted Group--first, Las Mujeres.

Junior Mounted Group--first, Tapo 4-H.

Fiesta--first, Las Mujeres.

Junior Equestrian--first, Heartland Donkey.

Novelty Equestrian--first, Heartland Donkey.

Floats, Civic and Service--Mayor’s Trophy, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; first, Simi Valley Presbyterian Church; second, Animal Volunteers; third, Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Floats, Commercial--Theme Trophy, Boeing-Rocketdyne; first, Easy Street Arena; second, Jack in the Box.

Floats, Youth--Director’s Trophy, Paint Pals; first, Cub Pack 3663; second, Simi Y-Indians; third, Rosalies School of Dance.

Floats, Military--first, 1st Army National Guard.

Antique Automobiles--first, Jim’s Tire Man; second, James and Donna McGeachy.

Classic Automobiles--first, Gordon Wells; second, Simi Valley Unified School District; third, Ray Wells.

Firetrucks--first, Ventura County Fire Department; second, Grant Pilling.

Car Clubs--first, Simi Valley Corvettes.

Manly Machines--first, George Raincock; second, Rancho Simi Recreation and Parks District.

Community Marching Groups--Chairman’s Trophy, Royal High School Pep Squad.

Bicycle Units--first, Sycamore BMX; second, Simi Valley Y-Trail Blazers.

Civic and Service--first, Boots and Slippers; second, Happy Squares; third, Simi Valley High School Cheerleaders.

Elementary Schools--first, Big Springs School; second, Good Shepherd Lutheran School; third, Berylwood School.

Youth Dance Teams--first, Dance Creations; second, Rancho Simi Dance Team; third, Rancho Simi Recreation and Parks District Hip Hop.

Scouts--first, Tres Condados; second, Boy Scouts of Ventura-Ventura County Council; third, Cub Pack 3643.

Military Units, Color Guard-Cadet--first, Civil Air Patrol, Squadron 1986.

Color Guard-Veteran--first, Vietnam Vets of Ventura County; second, Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Color Guard-Armed Forces, Active and Reserve--first, Marine Corps League.

Marching Cadet--first, Ventura County Young Marines; second, Civil Air Patrol, Squadron 1986.