We, The Petaluma Downtown Association, are the event organizers for the Butter & Egg Days Parade. We are a completely independent Non Profit organization with a Staff of 2 and a Board of Directors. We are not the City of Petaluma and the Parade is not funded, organized or managed by the City. There seems to be much confusion about how this parade comes to be every year, and we feel the need to lay the facts out so that everyone understands how this parade works.
First off, this event does not make money. The cost every year of bringing Butter & Egg Days to Downtown Petaluma is $90,000 and every penny we make from sponsorships, donations and community help gets spent on the parade. In general, Parades are not money making events, they are community events that happen FOR the community. Our parade in particular is meant to bring people to Petaluma, to celebrate our wonderful community and to remember our unique and special heritage as the "Egg Basket of the World".
Second, the money the City has provided us in past years came from a portion of TOT (Transient Occupancy Tax) funding that is collected from the lodging establishments in Petaluma. The City has also sponsored the event for many years by donating public works services. This year, we will not be receiving TOT funding and the City will not be sponsoring the public works services. This is completely understandable given the City's current budget and that is why we are fundraising, selling buttons and reaching out for help.
Third and last, the only reason this parade happens every year is because of Petaluma merchants and the community that volunteers their time and money to see this event continue. 98% of the people you see running around the day of the parade have volunteered their time to help us.
Friends of the Parade Button Campaign
A BIG HUGE THANK YOU to SONOMA BANK, who sponsored the buttons. We've got our buttons and are ready to rock! Come by any of the below posted merchant locations to buy yours. 100% of the proceeds from these will go to Butter & Egg Days. What do you get for buying a $5 button? Besides a warm fuzzy feeling of doing good for your community? Let me tell you:
On the day of the event, people wearing their buttons will be able to walk in the last unit of the parade! And you'll be invited to a Thank You ceremony on the main reviewing stand immediately after.
DISCOUNTS will be offered at participating Merchants (denoted by a matching decal in their window) the week of April 17th-25th and some participants will continue longer. A listing of participating discount merchants will be posted in the next few weeks.
Merchant Button Locations (thus far). Buy your buttons at the following locations:
2010 Butter & Egg Days Parade & Festival will be taking place on April 24th from 10 am to 5pm. A kids pre parade steps off at 11:30 and the main parade steps off at noon.
We are proud to announce this year's theme: "Petaluma's Shining Moments". Applications are now available in the links above! Check out a Video of last year's parade:
The 2010 Cutest Little Chick Contest will take place on Butter & Egg Days, Saturday April 24th, at 10:15am on the Kentucky Street stage. As always this event is FREE to enter and the deadline for entry is Wednesday April 21st.
The Grand prize winner will get 4 tickets to 6 Flags Discovery Kingdom, PLUS $50 cash. 2nd Place will recieve $35 cash. 3rd Place will recieve $25 cash. Every Cutie Pie is a winner and all entrants will recieve a small prize and will be eligible to ride on the Petaluma Farms float in the Parade. For more info please call (707) 763-0921. Still wondering what it's all about? View this video of last year's contest.
