Royal Porter Putnam Day is Saturday

Post on: 2011-11-02 By: admin

The much-anticipated Royal Porter Putnam Day is upon us.
The celebration to honor Porterville’s founder and recognize the city’s rich 150-year history will get under way at 9:30 a.m. Saturday on Main Street between Harrison and Putnam avenues.
Royal Porter Putnam Day is the culmination of the city’s observance of its sesquicentennial anniversary.
A shootout in front of City Hall, a beard contest, a costume contest and a slew of other activities for people of all ages will highlight the day’s festivities.
“We hope everyone comes down there and enjoys it,” Kevin Gibson, a Sesquicentennial Committee member, said Wednesday.
Gibson said the shootout at high noon will be “bigger and better” than the shootout in downtown Springville during the 50th annual Jackass Mail Run in early April. About 800 rounds will be shot during the Wild West-like shootout in front of City Hall, he said.
“There’s going to be a lot of smoke in the air,” Gibson said.
A group of 25 to 30 riders on horses and wagons will ride from Strathmore to deliver a chest of souvenir wooden coins to the downtown area.
The shootout will take place when a band of six to eight bandits attempts to steal the strongbox of valuables.
“We’re going to win, most likely,” Gibson, who will be one of the riders, said.Also on tap is a costume contest at 2:45 p.m. and a beard contest at 3 p.m. Both offer cash prizes.
The costume contest will be broken down by age group. For toddlers 3 years old and younger, gift prizes will be awarded to the first- and second-place winners. Three other age categories — 4-7, 8-15, and 16 and older — will be available to costume-contest participants, who will be judged on originality, era and appearance. The first-place winner in each of these categories will receive $50 while the second-place finisher will take home $33.
The beard contest will consist of three categories: mustache, partial beard and full beard.
The person who is deemed the winner in each of these categories will win an $80 cash prize.
Some Royal Porter Putnam Day attendees may just want to walk around and enjoy the atmosphere. These people will have an opportunity to check out the 10 craft vendors, grab a bite to eat — from caramel apples and funnel cakes to tri-tip and frito boats — from the five food booths and stop by the five art booths.
Five informational booths and eight exhibitors — a dutch-oven cookoff, gold panning and train rides, just to name a few — will add to the entertainment.
Additionally, for the adults, a beer garden will open at 11 a.m. and close at 3:30 p.m.Both Porterville Fire Department stations will have open houses to coincide with the event as well.
The younger ones will be able to decorate pumpkins, make masks and participate in sack races throughout the day.
“We’re going to have some things the kids can do,” Sesquicentennial Committee member Tonya Hall, Porterville ParksLeisure’s services coordinator, said.
The downtown activities will conclude at 4 p.m. After the event, a tour of the First Congregational Church on Mill Avenue will take place at 6 p.m. A concert to recognize the church’s 100th anniversary will follow at 7:30 p.m.
For a full list of Royal Porter Putnam Day activities, visit http://www.ci.porterville.ca.us/govt/CityManager/events.cfm.˛ Contact Alex K.W. Schultz at 784-5000, Ext. 1050 or aschultz@portervillerecorder.com.
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Article original from: http://www.recorderonline.com/news/putnam-50575-royal-day.html