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2005 Rodeo Parade
Pictures here
2004 Rodeo Parade Pictures here
2002 Parade
Pictures here
Rodeo website: www.fortunarodeo.com
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Fortuna Rodeo!
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It is not just the raging bulls and courageous cowhands;
the Fortuna rodeo is a week-long family festival with something for
everyone. The rodeo committee works tirelessly to create fun activities
that begin on Monday with a citywide chili cook off and end on the
following Sunday afternoon at the rodeo arena. The perfect summer weather lends itself to outdoor activities, and rodeo week is just that. Come enjoy small town Americana. The good, old days are still happening every year at the Fortuna Rodeo.
The size of the audience has also grown and over six thousand people descend on Fortuna for the week-long event. This event includes street games, sports and contests, breakfasts and barbecues, a carnival, dances and shows, including a long parade through downtown Fortuna on Saturday. The parade includes the Kidnapped Tourists-a lucky couple who have been treated royally for several days with stays at the finest lodgings and food from the finest restaurants.
The kids love Rodeo week because there are many attractions for them. All week long, old-fashioned street games include apple bobbing, cow chip throwing, egg toss, penny scramble and other contests. These downtown games draw a crowd every evening. The local firemen compete in a muster and everyone gets wet that night. The Redwood Village Shopping Center puts on shows and holds games and contests for the kids also, including a greased pole climb. The fire trucks are on display and the kids get to hold a fire hose and act like firemen, and the firemen get to hold a fire hose and act like kids.
The weekend following the rodeo brings the three-day Fortuna Redwood AutoXpo. Antique cars and hot rods fill the streets of Fortuna. With this much going on, careful planning is a must. People plan their vacations, weddings, reunions and visits around Rodeo Week and Autorama. The whole town gets involved with merchants trying to outdo each other with window paintings and displays. Banners and flags wave in the breeze. And the day after it's over the planning starts for an even bigger and better show for next year.
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In
1921 the Cattlemen's Association put on its first Fortuna Rodeo.
Speaking
of food, the Kiwanis breakfast and the Rodeo barbecue are legendary. No
one goes away hungry. The deep pit barbecue is delicious, thanks to an
all-night effort by the tired crew.
The carnival with its rides and its midway is set up in Rohner Park and
operates for several days. The rodeo festival attracts a large crowd and
even the local radio stations join in the event. The Teen and Junior
Dances are on Friday night, and the Rodeo Ball on Saturday night is the
biggest dance of the year. To ensure the safety of the public,
ordinances are enforced during this week.