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2009 Petaluma Veterans Day Parade and Flyover

We want to thank you for visiting our website!

• Pictures from the 2008/2007 Petaluma Veterans Day Flyover
• See the Warbird Digest article on the 2007 Petaluma Veterans Day Flyover
• Petaluma Municipal Airport history and directions

Kent Carlomagno - event coordinator

Petaluma Veterans Day Parade

From 1967 to 1983, Julius Forcucci & 2 WWI buddies walked the parade together.
In 1983 one friend died & the other was ill, so Forcucci walked alone carrying an
American Flag in 1984 and 1985.

In 1986, 50 veterans joined him and the annual parade began.

Julius Forcucci died Sept. 7,1988 at age 94. During the 1988 Veterans Day Parade a riderless horse with it's stirrups tied to the saddle led the parade in honor of Forcucci.

Over the years the parade has grown. In the early 90's the parade reached 100 entries. The 2008 parade had over 90 entries with over 850 participants. The estimated crowd was over 8,000.

It is the largest Veterans Day Parade north of the Golden Gate.

Steve Kemmerle - American Legion Post 28 - Parade Coordinator

 

THE PETALUMA VETERANS DAY PARADE IS ALWAYS ON THE DAY OF NOVEMBER 11TH AT 1:00PM

• FOR THOSE PARTICIPATING IN THE PARADE, STREET MONITORS WILL BE ON HAND TO GIVE OUT ASSIGNED NUMBERS. STAGING BEGINS AT 11:00 A.M. ON 4TH STREET FROM D STREET SOUTH TO I STREET.
   
• 12:00 TO 1:00 TOM CARDONI WILL PLAY HIS LIVELY ACCORDIAN IN THE GAZEBO. PETER LOMBARDI WILL HEAD UP THE SOUND SYSTEM.
   
• AFTER THE PARADE,BETWEEN 2:30PM AT THE GAZEBO A PRAYER BY HERB LOUDEN, PEARL HARBOR CHAPLIN, PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, INTRODUCTION OF SPEAKERS OF THE DAY.
   
• THE NATIONAL ANTHEM AND GOD BLESS AMERICA WILL BE SUNG THIS YEAR BY PETALUMA SOPHMORE STUDENT ELENI PAPAGEORGACOPOULOS.
   
• INNOVATIVE SCREEN PRINTING COMPANY WILL DONATE 200 T SHIRTS AND PUT THE PARADE 2009 LOGO ON FRONT AND BACK FOR LEGION TO SELL AT $10 PER SHIRT.
   
• A FEW VENDORS, (WEATHER PERMITTING) SELLING AIR BRUSHING TATTOOS, FUNNEL CAKES & HAWAIIAN ICES ETC. ARE EXPECTED.

EXPECTED PARADE PARTICIPANT HIGHLIGHTS

• GRAND MARSHALL THIS YEAR IS ARMY LT. COL. STEVE COUNTOURIOTIS OF PETALUMA. AFTER SEPT. 11, 2001, HE SERVED MULTIPLE TOURS OF DUTY IN BOTH IRAQ AND AFGANISTAN.
   
• HANS BEERBAUM, A LOCAL FILM MAKER, HAS A T-34 RUSSIAN TANK AND M 85 ARTILLERY PIECE TO ENTER IN THE PARADE.
   
• THE NATIONAL GUARD WILLCARRY THE TANK ON A LOW BED AND PULL THE ARTILLERY PIECE.
   
• THE MARIN SHERIFF’S POSEY IS JOINING THE PARADE THIS YEAR. THEY DO SEACH AND RESCUE.
   
• A HUEY HELIOCOPTER WILL FLY OVER THE PARADE AND BE AT THE AIRPORT THE MORNING OF THE PARADE.
   
• YAK VINTAGE PLANES AND A P 51 WILL FLY OVER THE PARADE.
   
• PARADE ANNOUNCERS ARE LOCATED AT THE MUSEUM, PUTNAM PLAZA, AND IN FRONT OF THE HIDE AWAY BAR.
   
• THE PETALUMA MUSEUM IS EXHIBITING SHINDLER’S LIST (NOV. 10th - /DEC. 13th FROM THE SMITHSONIAN IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE VETERANS DAY PARADE.
   
• THE ATTACHED LOGO IS CREATED & PRIINTED BY MRS GROSSMAN’S STICKER FACTORY. THE COMPANY HAS DONATED THESE STICKERS FOR THE PAST 3 YEARS.
   
• GO TO THE SPONSOR PAGE TO SEE OUR SUPPORTERS.

* ALL ENTRIES ARE TENTATIVE PENDING APPROVAL

The Petaluma Veterans Day Parade is the largest Veterans Day Parade north of the Golden Gate.