Azusa Celebrates with a “Groovin’ with Golden Days” Parade

By Dena Burroughs

-Photo by Dena Burroughs

Music, marching bands, children, classic cars, horses, fire engines, and much more rolled down San Gabriel Avenue in Azusa last Saturday as part of this year’s Golden Days parade. This is an annual celebration that the city has held for over six decades.
“Groovin’ with Golden Days – A salute to the 1970s” was the theme of this year’s celebration. Accordingly, who better as the parade’s Grand Marshal than Darth Vader, the dark enforcer and head of the Imperial Storm Troopers who waved to the Azusa residents from, instead of his space ship, a 1972 red Chevy. For good measure, there was also a Civic Grand Marshal, Mrs. Peggy Martinez, a resident who has served the City of Azusa for many years and in the process has achieved many accomplishments.
Under the hot sun of the midday, the marching bands and colorguards of several high schools, some from as far away as Barstow, delighted the hundreds of Azusa residents that lined both sides of the street. They represented neighboring towns like Temple City, El Monte, South El Monte, Fontana, Rosemead, Glendora, and of course, Azusa itself.
The parade honored two distinguished citizens – Dick and Karen Nolting. Mr. Nolting is a veteran of the Korean War who, during his 40-year career with the Azusa Unified School District, taught drafting, architect drawing, and served as a counselor for the youngsters of the city. Mrs. Nolting retired ten years ago after 31 years serving the City of Azusa as an educator. Their two daughters now teach at Azusa schools.
For the Azusa residents the Golden Days parade makes for a true festive day. Those who live on San Gabriel Avenue pull every chair out of their homes, invite family members, and make a party out of it. They wave at their City Council members as they drive by on shiny classic cars in all shapes and colors, and this year, lucky ones like young George Sanchez even got to shake the hand of a Jedi.

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