16 Dec Pittsburg Annual Holiday Parade Blows Away Community, Despite Heavy Winds

Pittsburg High School’s marching band headlined the annual holiday parade Saturday at John Buckley Square in Old Town.

Story and photos by Denis Perez-Bravo

The Pittsburg Holiday Parade vibrantly celebrated local pride and festive community spirit at John Buckley Square on Saturday.

Despite some unpredictable weather — gusty winds and the threat of rain — the streets of Old Town Pittsburg were lined with enthusiastic spectators watching marching bands, floats, dances and martial art performances.

Participants paraded to the square from Railroad Avenue to come face-to-face with the event judges.

There, the performers competed for the highest score in their respective categories to earn a parade trophy.

 

As a first-time judge, Cheri Dove, a 65-year-old Bay Point resident, took on her role with pride. She has attended this parade many times before.

“It was different this year, because you’re looking at it from a different lens,” Dove said.

She was impressed by the young martial artists including trophy winner East Bay Karate-Do and participating group N.K.D. NeXt Generation martial arts schools.

And one student, in particular, impressed her with their shout.

“The karate kid from N.K.D., I would hire them to be security for me,” Dove said with humor. “I was very intimidated.”

 

Dove joined her husband, Jerry, a seasoned holiday parade judge, and others on stage.

The weather also raised excitement as the judging area canopy would look to fly away as gust pushed it from below. And throughout the parade route, there were moments that small children would be pushed by the weather and the sound of the wind would try to drown out Christmas songs sung or played on speakers.

 

“The weather’s just against us,” said Jillian Kaapana, a long-time Pittsburg resident. “This is my son’s first time walking in the parade.”

Kaapana’s 15-year-old daughter has participated three times before. Each of those parades reinforced the “hometown feeling” she has gotten from Pittsburg the last 20 years that she has lived here since moving from her native San Francisco.

So despite the weather, she proudly represented Foothill Elementary School with her loved ones in this growing family tradition.

 

“The Pittsburg community always shows up,” Kaapana said. “The streets are packed.”

Staff and owners took to their storefronts to pass out menus, talk to people passing by, or put up advertisements for many to see.

 

Pittsburg resident Davon Emil Clark watched the parade with family, friends and his staff at nFinito Martial Arts at the corner of Eighth Street and Railroad Avenue.

“In my youth, I used to be in the parade,” Clark said. “I would perform martial arts.”

His life is still submerged in martial arts as he enters his second year as owner of nFinito Martial Arts.

 

Clark confidently highlighted his martial arts programs to anyone that was curious about his school.

The event gave him an opportunity to share about the bronze and silver medal performances his students had at the 2024 Junior World Kickboxing Championship in Budapest, Hungary.

“This is Old Town Pittsburg,” Clark said, “so all these businesses down here, they’re thriving.”

See more sights from the 2024 Pittsburg Holiday Parade and festivities: