General Pleasonton Days set for this weekend

Dunlap Park in Pleasanton will host vendors and contests throughout the after on Saturday as part of the General Pleasonton Days event. (Journal file photo)

PLEASANTON – Saturday will mark the 17th annual celebration of General Pleasonton Days, a two-day celebration of the city named after Civil War Gen. Alfred Pleasonton, on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 5 – 6. Pleasonton was the Union general who is credit for winning the nearby Battle of Mine Creek in 1864.

“Heroes Among Us” is the theme of event, which begins with a parade at11 a.m. down Main Street. Parade line-up begins at 10 a.m. on Sixth Street behind Faith Chapel.

Also at 11 a.m., food and craft vendors open for business at Dunlap Park. Other ongoing activities at the park after the parade include face painting, balloon darts, jump ropes, ring toss, hop scotch, train rides and photo stand-ins.

The event gets into full gear on Saturday following the parade with a lineup of contests for kids and adults, live music, and a street dance in the evening. 

On Sunday, a community church service will be held at 10:30 a.m. outside the Pleasanton Community Center at Ninth and Main streets followed by a community lunch at the center. Participants are asked to bring a side dish.

Here is Saturday’s schedule:

• 11 a.m. – Parade, Car and tractor show registration begins immediately following the parade.

• Noon – Car, truck and tractor show begins at 12th and Main, fire truck demonstration at Dunlap Park, begin purchase spots for chicken bingo

All of the following events will be at Dunlap Park:

• 12:30 p.m. – Baby contest

• 1 p.m. – Live music, beard contest, nail driving contest, musical chairs

• 1:30 – Cornhole tournament registration, Treat Walk, hot dog eating contest

• 1:45 – Cupcake decorating

• 2:00 – Chicken bingo and cornhole tournament begin

• 2:30 – Tug of war registration, Hula Hoop contest

• 3:00 – Tug of war

• 3:45 – Pie eating contest

• 4:00 – Bingo

The activity shift to Main Street in the late afternoon and evening:

• 4:30 p.m. – Pedal pull

• 5:30 – Adult games

• 7:00 – Street dance until 10 p.m. with DJ Phillip Slater