Manteca on Friday will celebrate the spirit of America with a spotlight on what is arguably the community’s most high profile volunteer service club.
The Sunrise Kiwanis are being recognized as the Fourth of July parade they stage sports a theme of “40 Years of Pumpkin Pride & Patriotic Spirit!”
The 10 a.m. Fourth of July parade takes place this year along Yosemite Avenue from Library Park to Manteca High.
The service club since 1984 has staged the Pumpkin Fair, the community’s biggest festival that celebrates the fact more than 70 percent of all commercially grown pumpkins in California comes from the fields around Manteca.
The idea for a Pumpkin Fair was started in 1974 by a group of growers who enlisted the help of what might best be called “local characters” that included one Pat O’Leary. It was in response to a claim by Half Moon Bay that the San Mateo County coastal town was the Pumpkin Capital of the World.
It consisted of piling pumpkins at Library Park that served as a background for entertainment O’Leary secured that famously included belly dancers. The “fair” lasted for several hours.
The now defunct Manteca Jaycees picked up the concept and ran with the idea in 1975 calling it the Manteca Pumpkin Festival.
After nine years, interest had dwindled prompting the Jaycees to toss in the towel.
That’s when the Kiwanis came into the picture.
It was a struggle for the first two years as they tried new things to breathe more life into the event.
The first Pumpkin Fair operated by the Kiwanis netted $46.
Fast forward to 2024.
After the fair ended the first weekend in October, the club’s running total of Pumpkin Fair proceeds exceeded $1.3 million after paying off expenses each year.
Every one of the dollars netted has been used on community projects or shared with non-profits that serve the Manteca area.
Recipients in recent years of Pumpkin Fair funds include: American Legion Post 249 Foundation, Delta Humane Society, East Union High Band Boosters, East Union JROTC, Friends of East Union Cemetery, Give Every Child A Chance, Manteca Police Explorers, Great Valley Bookfest, Hospice of San Joaquin, Manteca Historical Society, Hope Ministries/Raymus House, Sierra High Sober Grad, Valley Caps/Action Club, Wide Horizons, Agape Villages, Boys & Girls Club of Manteca, VFW Post 6311, Kiwanis Children’s Foundation, Kiwanis Family House, Kiwanis Rose Float, Manteca Youth Focus, CERT, SHARP-MPD, Boy Scout Troop 432, His Way Recovery and Pumpkin Fair designated recipients Camp Taylor, Thomas Toy Community Center and Healthy Rooms.
How the Sunrise Kiwanis got involved with the Fourth of July parade was for the same reason they stepped up to keep the Pumpkin Fair going. They didn’t want to see a community tradition go to the way side.
After the organizers were no longer able to pull off the parade one year in the mid-1990s, the Kiwanis took it on and have been organizing it every since.
Not only do they stage the Fourth of July parade every year, but they use proceeds from the Pumpkin Fair to cover parade costs. That has allowed them not to charge entrants a participation fee.
Aerial fireworks
The grand finale to the Fourth of July starts Friday at 9:30 p.m. when the City of Manteca launches its annual aerial fireworks display over the Big League Dreams sports complex.
Recommended viewing locations are:
*Bella Vista Park, 1580 Bella Terra Drive.
*Dutra Estates Park, 2701 Ancestor Street
*Dutra Estates Mini Park, 1523 Hearthsong Drive
*Dutra Southeast Park, 1850 Sparrowhawk Street
*Kevin O’Neill Park, 1282 Laurel Circle
*Roberts Estates Park, 1740 Rail Street.
People are encouraged to bring their lawn chairs and blankets to the parks.
No parking will be permitted at the Great Wolf resort.
BLD celebration
YupUp has teamed with the City of Manteca to stage what the firm describes as “Disneyland meets hometown charm” to celebrate Independence Day from 3 to 9 p.m. at the Big League Dreams sports complex.
The rewards app concern on their yupup.com website as of Tuesday was still offering advance tickets at $45 apiece. The price the day of the event, providing there are tickets available, is $50.
Those attending the event can stay for the best place to see the City of Manteca’s aerial fireworks display that starts at 9:30 p.m. and is launched from a location just north of the BLD complex.
Admission to the event gives you access to all six themed entertainment zones.
Not included in the general admission are pony rides, access to gaming trucks, Gellyball, and the photo booth
There will also be food trucks as well as a food and beer garden.
There will be a lawn hangout zone. People are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets and kick back to listen to music.
There will be in-and-out access allowed throughout the day with your wrist band and valid admission ticket.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
