Colton Celebrates 126 Years of Community and History at Annual Birthday Bash

Colton High School’s (CHS) football stadium and field were all abuzz with activity as thousands of Colton residents and friends from nearby cities came out on Saturday evening, July 13, to participate in the festivities and celebrate the City of Colton’s 126th anniversary. Cars lined the blocks surrounding the school and the scent of barbecue sifted through the heavy air, but despite the heat, there was a celebration to be had. The event began in 1987 to commemorate Colton’s 100th birthday, and the event has been a tradition ever since. Planning for the celebration is overseen by a Birthday Celebration Advisory Committee, whose members are Colton City Mayor Sarah Zamora, Council member Susan Oliva, Council member Deirdre Bennett, Colton Chamber of Commerce Executive Director and Colton Joint Unified School District Board Member Laura Morales, Leno’s Rico Taco owner Leno Moreno, Parks and Recreation Commissioner Summer Jorrin, City Clerk Eileen Gomez and City Treasurer Aurelio De La Torre, with staff representatives Colton City Police Chief Steve Ward, Community Services Director Bill Smith and Colton Community Services Recreation Manager Deb Farrar, with the Colton Community Services Department coordinating the event. This year the celebration featured live entertainment, a car show and nearly 40 vendor, informational and activities booths displayed on the grounds outside of the CHS Ken Hubbs Gymnasium, with the fireworks show finale ending the evening with a literal bang. Founded in 1875 and incorporated in 1887, Colton boasts a population of over 52,000 (according to the most recent 2010 census)—and it seemed as if all of Colton converged on Colton High School to celebrate community and history. Two stages were set up, with the talents of the Traveling Homeboys, Mixcoacalli Folklórico dancers community class taught by Hope Stewart, tap and ballet dancers community class taught by Deborah Jacobsen, Old School Mobile DJ, and Cold Comfort entertaining the crowd. A Kid’s Zone also entertained with bounce houses, water sliders and 20 carnival-style game activities for children to participate in—the event’s newest addition, shared Colton Community Services employee Kelly Phelps. “Last year there were no games, and that’s an addition we put in. Each year we try to make [the event] bigger.” For resident Sandra Esparza, event planners were successful in this endeavor. “We come every year because it just keeps getting better and better,” commended Esparza, who along with her family—husband Francisco and daughter Natalie—has made coming to the event an annual family tradition for the last four years. This year the event returned to its traditional 4–9 p.m. event time, a change from last year’s noon to 9 p.m. time, implemented to celebrate the city’s 125th anniversary last July, and a car show was one other addition made this year, with classic cars lining North Rancho Avenue and attracting interested lookie-loos of all ages. A sense of community was what Early Pride members Art Flores and Mario Rodriguez, both longtime Colton residents and classic car enthusiasts, saw at the event. “We’re doing something good here. Everyone is gathering here and you get to see your friends, and people you haven’t seen for a long time,” said Flores, who entered his 1939 Buick Roadmaster into the car show. Rodriguez, who also entered his car—a 1938 Buick Century—said he enjoyed the addition of the car show because of its work in bringing together people of all ages. “You know, the young people like the cars and the older guys reminisce about the good ol’ days,” he said. “It’s a good way to bring people out and bond together. We take a lot of pride in our cars, and even to see little kids come out and get excited and want to take pictures with the cars makes us feel good.” For Colton Recreation and Parks Commissioner Paul Rasso, the car show portion of the annual anniversary event is a way to showcase Colton’s history and its pride, he said. “In Colton, we have a lot of car enthusiasts, and this is one way we’re supporting them and giving them a venue to show off their hobby and work,” he said. “For them, this is history.” Event sponsors this year included Platinum Sponsor Union Pacific Railroad; Diamond Sponsors Colton Disposal, BNSF Railway and Studio 33; Gold Sponsors Best Best & Krieger, SA Recycling, and Eagle Real Estate Group; Silver Sponsors Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, Ashley Furniture HomeStore, Baker’s, Leno’s Rico Taco, Pacific Rail Industries, San Bernardino County Supervisor Josie Gonzales, and Premier Medical Group; Bronze Sponsors American RV Expo, Best Golf Carts, Inc., Brithinee Electric, CA Portland Cement, Councilmember Susan Oliva, Hermosa Gardens/Inland Memorial, Mayor Sarah Zamora, SB PEA, Sue Patani and United Packaging Group; Special Sponsors Aaron White, Citizens for Colton First, Colton Chamber of Commerce, Fiesta Village Family Fun Park, Law Offices of Eloise Gomes Reyes, Lucky Oil—Ahmed Radman, Mayor Pro Tem David Toro, Nickelodeon Pizza, Orange Oil—Salam Haggag, Roquet Paving, Sombrero Market and Stater Bros.; and Community Sponsors La Carreta, City Clerk Eileen Gomez, Colton’s Fireman Association, Councilmember Deirdre Bennett, Councilmember Frank Navarro, Councilmember Isaac Suchil, and CJUSD School Board member Laura Morales. Colton Community Services Recreation Manager Deb Farrar said she gets a sense of reunion each year. Car Show entries were judged by Mayor Sarah Zamora, Planning Commissioner Tony Soto, Recreation and Parks Commissioner Paul Rasso and Patron Steve Phelps. Car Show winners included: Gary Tierny, for Best in Show; Leo Aguirre for Best Finish; Willy Garcez for Best Upholstery; Aurthur Flores for Best Unfinished; Mario Rodriguez for Best Detailing; Mike Roucra for Best Paint; Renaldo Gonzales for Best Use of Chrome; Marisco Gonzalez for Best Modification; and Felix Aracejo for Mayor's Choice. “This community loves to celebrate Colton’s history, and it has such a great natural following. People plan parties and family reunions around it. People who live in Colton love Colton, and this is just another opportunity every year for people to get together and have a good time,” said Farrar.