Make plans now for the Conejo Valley Days Parade

The 52nd annual Conejo Valley Days Parade will be Sat., May 3, about two months down the line. Time will pass quickly. It always does.

The parade will be here before we know it.

Please make plans now to either participate in or attend the CVD parade. For details, please see the story on page 10.

The parade is important for several reasons:

•First, because we're lucky enough to have a parade. Years ago, almost every city and town had a parade, and big cities had several. The CVD parade may not be the biggest in the world, but that's part of its charm.

•Second, the parade brings families and other groups together. For a few hours, parents can bond with their children at the parade. Other families and groups will have spent more time together in preparing to participate--building a float, rehearsing a performance, selecting or making costumes or uniforms and much more.

•Third, the parade is good old-fashioned fun. It's exciting for those who plan and prepare together. It's an opportunity to work as a team. It's fun, too, for spectators. The old cliché rings true: "Everyone loves a parade."

•Fourth, it provides the area with a sense of community. It reflects who we are. It connects us with history. It brings us together, young and old.

•Fifth, it lets our award-winning marching bands showcase their talents. All three high schools in Conejo Valley Unified School District--Thousand Oaks, Newbury Park and Westlake--have exceptional bands, partially because of the middle and elementary school instrumental music programs that nurtured them. All of the bands that march in the parade will make you proud that you live here.

•Sixth, it mirrors the strong equestrian tradition that exists throughout the Conejo Valley and nearby communities. Riders on horseback remind us of our western heritage. Not so many years ago, this valley was mostly ranches and farms. Horses and horsemanship have been and will always be a part of us.

Join us in supporting the Conejo Valley Days Parade. Applications for participants are due by March 21.