Cowboy hats and miniature American flags dotted the landscape downtown for the 80th annual Homecoming Parade on Saturday, and this year's theme of "celebrating the pioneer spirit" reminded attendees young and old of Hanford's long-standing roots.

Thousands lined the streets along Seventh Street and near the Courthouse Square to watch the floats, the bands and the county's homecoming kings and queens on a sunny spring day.

Also this year, the first Kings County Homecoming Car Show took place in the park in conjunction with the parade, adding another layer of nostalgia to the event.

"Hanford's homecoming is a celebration of the fact that we've been around for so long, it's that chance to get back home," said John Benton, a Hanford resident for 55 years and member of the No Dues Cruisers car club.

"It's shade trees, homemade ice cream and hot dogs, it's all about getting back with the family," he said.

More than 80 entries including school marching bands in sequined vests and polyester uniforms, floats sponsored by county businesses and 837 rowdy elementary school Academic All-Stars walked the parade route and represented the county's various points of pride.

Grand Marshal Robert Geissler from Corcoran waved his cowboy hat to the crowd perched atop a white convertible Chevrolet Corvette, as Homecoming Queen Edna Ivans from Avenal trailed shortly behind in a tan convertible Volkswagen Beetle.

The booming bass-drum thumps and snapping snares of the various marching bands echoed through downtown as revelers cheered on friends and family in the parade.

Christine Perez, a recent California State University, Fresno graduate who moved back to Hanford and works for the city, said this is the first parade she's been to in a few years. Her sister, a senior at Hanford West High School, was marching with the band.

"It's really nice to come back," she said. "I kind of cried a little bit after seeing her, this one was special for me."

"It was a really cool event for the community to come out and support everybody that's involved in it year after year, whether they're young or old," said Diego Baca, a Fresno resident and first-time attendee.

The pioneer-spirit theme rang through the parade, as covered wagons sauntered by and Kings County Sheriff deputies waved to the crowd from horseback.

"I liked it because it really took you back to the pioneer times, seeing the old wagons and things, that was really neat," said Hanford resident Linda Hernandez.

"We still need to remember what happened in the old days, and honor the old-timers and all they did to make the town grow," said Homecoming committee member Bob Penden. "I'm 77-years-old, so I've been coming to the parade for the last 76 years," he said.

Much of the crowd flocked to Courthouse Square after the parade to see the car show, where the classic Cadillacs, modern Mustangs and vintage Volkswagens glimmered under the midday sunlight.

"This is a great chance to walk back in time a little bit, and it's so much fun to walk around and see people that say, 'oh, a 1969 Dodge Dart, I used to have one of those,' or 'this is a 1962 Dodge police car, one of those pulled me over back in 1963,'" said Benton, from No Dues Cruisers.

"To hear the nostalgia and the stories, it's just a good chance to touch base with each other and reminisce, not that these aren't happy times, but just to reminisce on the good memories of the past," he said.

(May 20, 2007)