The Raisin Day Parade has been a Central Valley staple for over 100 years. Raisins are the No. 1 agricultural product of Fresno County and the outlying farming community promotes its wares as a county fair on wheels.
To honor the people who have grown, dried and produced this product for a world market, the 56th annual Raisin Parade 2012 on Oct. 20, will showcase Valley agriculture. While originating in Exeter, the Raisin Parade is now celebrated in the City of Biola, 30 miles west of Highway 99 on Shaw Avenue.
“The parade?s intent was to focus on this crop and celebrate it?s impact on area farmers,” band director Michael Ogdon said. “There are numerous photos of parades taken in black and white by Fresno photographer, Pop Laval, that can be viewed in the Laval Studio and Gallery or online.?
The parade was moved to the small Fresno County City of Biola 56 years ago. This year?s parade coordinator is doing the job for the first time.
Steve Sanders, Parade Chairman is excited to see bands from different high schools.
“Getting the details together has been challenging, but I’m really excited to see the number of emntries increase everyday,” Sanders said. “My goal is to have 100 different parade entries by this Saturday.”
The campus band and colorguard is jumping on board. They will be featured near the beginning of the parade. They are slated to march in the first group stepping off close to 10 a.m. starting time as the 18th entry.
Ogdon remains optimistic to the performance this Saturday.
“I am looking forward to it because we have been practicing daily to fix errors and perform well,” Ogdon said. “The band has improved tremondously compared to few weeks before so I am very grateful.”
The band is playing a 56-year-old march: “The Swing March.” Ogdon found the music in the Fresno Christian Music Library this past summer. Small adjustments and re-writing by the director brought a product the band and percussion may work with. One feature that makes the song interesting is that the band changes its marching step in the middle of the piece, moving from a glide step to a high step.
The band and colorguard have struggled this year with some coaching changes. Gary Smith began the year as the percussion specialist but found his schedule with FCS, Clovis East, El Diamante, and Fresno State overwhelming.
Ogdon finds absence of Smith’s teaching at campus unfortunate.
“He was unable to continue because of his overwhelming schedule but I look foward to seeing him very soon if possible,” Ogdon said. “We are still looking for his replacement and I am going to continue with band practices without him until we find new coaches.”
The drumline currently works for Ogdon with significant input from captain Chloe Duerr, ?14, and Drum Major Eric Cowin, ?14. As the percussion practices, Ogdon must turn his attention to the Colorguard to complete work on their routine.
Cowin struggles to keep the percussion line perform at a greater level without Smith.
“It is disappointing that Mr. Smith cannot contribute to our band anymore, but I will continue to work hard,” Cowin said. “I hope that even without him our band would do well this Saturday.”
Duerr also tries hard to improve band’s musical abilities as well as mind set necessary to be focused in marching without a coach.
“Mr. Smith’s absence has been really devastating to our group,” Duerr said. “He has taught the percussion ensemble since my freshman year and devoted his time and effort to create a better ensemble. I know we can do better for our upcoming preformance even without Mr. Smith.”
The flag team?s coaching position that was posted at the beginning of the year was not filled, so all routines have been taught and perfected from Internet samples. The good news is that a coach has been found and will begin working with the team after the Biola Parade.
Sally Rudolfs, a seventh grader, looks forward to the band trip on Saturday as a member of the flag team.
“I am really excited and I think that our team is doing very well because we have been practicing for past two months,” Rudolfs said. “We are working hard everyday and we will do great this Saturday.”
The band has been a part of the Selma Parade and the Veterans Day Parade in years past. The intention was to continue this year, but Homecoming responsibilities made Selma difficult and the scheduling of the Veterans Day Parade on a Sunday this year; this issue locked out many of the leaders of the program. There are a significant number of students in leadership in their church youth groups and families were unwilling to pull away from their church responsibilities.
There are two more home football games the band and colorguard will be a part of – Homecoming (Oct. 26) and Senior Night (Nov. 2). When those games are done, the band will turn its attention from marching to concert music in preparation for the annual ?Round the Table Carol Sing.? This year?s program will be held in the FCS Gymnasium on Dec. 13-14.
For more information, please contact via Michael Ogdon or call him at 559-287-4226 or visit the Biola Raisin Day Festival 2012 Newsletter.
