On a gorgeous afternoon with the sun high in the sky, the people of Santa Rosa gathered together in the Old Courthouse Square on August 8th to celebrate a memorable occasion of the city’s 150 year anniversary. The entire Santa Rosa downtown was blocked off with vendors, a huge stage for many performances, a flashy car show and local booths setting up to show their support.
As soon as the first performer, Dallas Caroline, a local that performed on ‘The Voice,’took the stage it was apparent this was just the beginning of a day full of celebration. Not long after Caroline’s act, a stunning show and dance was put on by a local native tribe. From grown adults to children, the performers were all dressed up and singing and dancing as the crowd swarmed around them completely immersed by their performance, celebrating Santa Rosa’s roots in the most memorable way possible.
A Santa Rosa local and Sonoma State student, Cynthia Cushing, expressed her excitement about the event and how she came to learn about it, “Everyone seems to be having such a good time. I am already loving the performances so far and there is something really for everyone; from beer and wine, to a jumpy house for the kids, I wish I could stay for the time capsule and movie but I won't be able to,” said Cushing.
Another great attraction was the car show. About a dozen old school cars lined up for people to take pictures with as well as to just mesmerized for a few hours during the event. Without a doubt it was definitely a hit. They would then carry out the rest of the day with a champagne toast and cutting of the cake, reburying of the time capsule, and ending the night with an Alfred Hitchcock movie, filmed in Santa Rosa in 1943,‘Shadow of a Doubt.’
Another Santa Rosa local, who just happened to be in the downtown area stumbled in and was so glad she did. Nikki is a dental assistant dental associate in the area and thought she would grab lunch in downtown not expecting there to be a huge celebration, “I am so thrilled I came down here. Nothing beats live music, a warm sunny day and a chance to hang out with your community. There is tons to do and see, they really did an amazing job so I made sure to tell all my friends about it so no one else missed out.”
The icing on the cake, literally, and my favorite part of the day was the cutting of the 150 pound cake covered in 150 flowers in honor of Santa Rosa's anniversary. The crowd sang “Happy Birthday” at the top of their lungs while they cheered their cups of bubbling champagne creating such a wonderful environment to be in. Not to mention the host of KZST radio, Brent Farris, decided the best way to cut a cake that size was with a samurai sword. Acknowledging the history of Santa Rosa is not only special for locals but also very important for people that come from all over. For myself as someone who moved to the area for school, gaining a better understanding of Santa Rosa's history, I now feel more connected to the land as well as the community and am truly honored to call this place my home.