Connect with us
https://yoursportsnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/call-to-1.png

Sports

Centennial track and field brings home three titles at Top Times

5

Published

on

Centennial track and field brings home three titles at Top Times

Sports

Solvang celebrates the 4th with parade, fireworks

Perfect weather greets residents, proving that ‘Anything is Possible in America’ on its 249th birthday It was the perfect day, weatherwise, to celebrate the 4th of July. Throngs of people from near and far lined the sidewalks of Solvang to celebrate America’s 249th anniversary of its Independence Day with a patriotic parade whose theme this year was “Anything is Possible in America.” […]

Published

on


Perfect weather greets residents, proving that ‘Anything is Possible in America’ on its 249th birthday

It was the perfect day, weatherwise, to celebrate the 4th of July. Throngs of people from near and far lined the sidewalks of Solvang to celebrate America’s 249th anniversary of its Independence Day with a patriotic parade whose theme this year was “Anything is Possible in America.”

The Grand Marshals of this year’s parade were Kay and Walt Alves. They moved to the Valley in 1959, and for the past 66 years, they have been steeped in volunteering. The couple has donated countless hours to Old Mission Santa Ines, the San Lorenzo Seminary and the Seminary Foundation, and the Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum. But above all, the Alveses have been committed to the Rotary and Rotary International, both actively fundraising for Rotary’sscholarship program, with the two of them always cooking for Old Santa Ynez Days and Danish Days.

The winner of the Best Automobile, single, is the George Family 1929 Model A Roadster. Photos by Devyn Marseilles

There were 74 entries in this year’s colorful parade, all bedecked with red, white, and blue and the American flag. Following the singing of the national anthem by sixth-grader Evie Gerritsen, daughter of Griffin and Gigi Gerritsen, the parade started promptly at 10 a.m. with the Color Guard American Legion Post #160 leading the way, soon followed by the Alveses as Grand Marshals.  

After that, the parade included several dignitaries, including the Solvang and Buellton mayors and City Councilmembers; newly named 2025 Danish Queen Addie Madrid, riding in a 1936 Ford Roadster; 2025 Youth Rec Queen Kacy Caplan with SYV Youth Recreation; and Miss Santa Ynez Old Days Rodeo Queen Hailee Taylor.

Many local organizations were present at the parade, including the Solvang Chamber of Commerce, Solvang Senior Center, Atterdag Village, and Solvang Theaterfest. Santa Ynez High School sports programs were represented, among them the varsity and JV football teams — some of whom jumped off the back of the trailer and did push-ups — as well as players from the water polo and girls volleyball squads.

Many entries came to entertain and perform, such as local parade and event staple Garcia Dance Studio of Lompoc, Pacific Flips Gymnastics, and the dancing horses of Cuadras del Valle de Lompoc. 

And there were the different vehicles that traveled down Mission Drive. They included military vehicles from the Flat Fender Friends, vintage cars from the Santa Maria Model A’s Ford Club, a coffinmobile right out of “The Munsters,” and of course, the Viking Ship steered by the Vikings from Solvang.  

Central Coast Mini Riders Go Cart Hot Rod, and a Munster Coffinmobile was awarded the Most Original entry. Photo by Devyn Marseilles

The Rotary Club of Solvang, who sponsors the annual event, listed this year’s entry winners in numerous categories as follows: Sweepstakes: Hi Way One Hooligans, Rod Simmons; Best Use of Parade Theme:   Miss Santa Ynez Old Days Rodeo with Queen Hailee Taylor and Beefer the mini cow; Most Patriotic: Daughters of the American Revolution; Most Original: Central Coast Mini Riders Munster Coffinmobile; Most Amusing: Solvang Theaterfest Comedian Orny Adams Show Sept 13, 2025; Most Unique: First Street Leather, Solvang; Best Band: Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co.; Best Singing Group: Agin Brothers, Cars & Cowboys; Best Singing, Single: Sanger Family of Wines; Best Family Group: Bob Jones, Four Generations of Joneses; Best Church Group: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints; Best Senior Group: Solvang Senior Center; Best Animal Group: Cuadras Unidas del Valle; Best Wagon Group: Santa Maria Elks Lodge 1538 Officer Wagon and Color Guard; Best Automobile Group: Vapor Trail Vettes; Best Automobile, Single: George Family 1928 Model A Roadster; Best Automobile, Restored: Bob and Margo Gould’s 1956 Chevy Nomad and 1958 Shasta Trailer; Best Automobile, Antique: Santa Maria Model A Ford Club; Best Automobile Antique Group: Rotary Club of Buellton; Best Fire Engine: Summerset Farm’s 1928 Stanford Fire Truck; Best Tractor: Chloe Hinnrich’s 1945 Farmall M Tractor; Best Equestrian Group: Charros Unidos of Costa Central; Best Equestrian, Single: Santa Maria Elks Outrider; Best Viking Ship: Vikings of Solvang; Best Color Guard: VFW Post 7139, American Legion Post 160; Best Street Sweeper: SP Maintenance Services; Road Apple Crew: Espuelas y Rebozos; Best Uncle Sam: Kevan Harder, Nielsen Building Materials; Best Sport Group: Santa Ynez Valley Union High School JV Football Team; Best Military Group: Flat Fender Friends; Best Dancing Group: Garcia Dance Group; Most Energetic: Pacific Flips Gymnastics; Best Group for a Cause: SYV Youth Recreation; Best School Group: Santa Ynez Valley Union High School Water Polo Teams and Aquatics Foundation; Best Youth Group: Santa Ynez Valley Union High School Girls Volleyball; and Best Audience Participation: Veggie Rescue.

“I love that I belong to this community,” said Becky Sutherland of Buellton. “The parade celebrates belonging here.”

After the parade, a 4th of July celebration was held all day, topped off with an evening of fireworks at the Santa Ines Mission.

Before the fireworks, though there was plenty to keep the crowd busy on the lawn in front of the mission. The area was full of food trucks with all varieties of cuisine, along with several vendors selling their products, as well as rides and activities for the kids. On the main stage, musical artists like King Bee, Jayden Secor, The Molly Ringwald Project, and DJ Peete had the crowds dancing.

Many people, though, chose to relax on the berm and wait for darkness to fall for the fireworks show.

Two of them were Celeste and Cathy Drach, who had seat right at the front, and they had to come early and get them.

“They allow us to come out and reserve a spot and we got to claim on Wednesday (July 2),” Celeste Drach said. “And there were people who got theirs earlier; I think the earliest I heard was June 30.”

Once it got dark and the berm filled up and it was time.

Incoming Santa Ynez Valley Rotary Board President Jennifer Hertler addressed the crowd, thanking the crowd and crediting the Solvang Rotary Club for their great job on the parade. And after a rousing version of the national anthem from recent SYHS graduate Ruby Andreu, the crowd enjoyed a magnificent fireworks show, again put on by local pyrotechician Kief Adler, which elicited many “oohs” and “aahs.”



Link

Continue Reading

Sports

UK government backs London bid to host the 2029 athletics world championships

LONDON (AP) — The British government has announced its support of London’s bid to host the 2029 athletics world championships.… LONDON (AP) — The British government has announced its support of London’s bid to host the 2029 athletics world championships. London hosted the biannual premier track-and-field event in 2017 at the London Stadium, which also […]

Published

on


LONDON (AP) — The British government has announced its support of London’s bid to host the 2029 athletics world championships.…

LONDON (AP) — The British government has announced its support of London’s bid to host the 2029 athletics world championships.

London hosted the biannual premier track-and-field event in 2017 at the London Stadium, which also held the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2012 Olympic Games. The plan is to stage the 2029 worlds at the same venue.

Saturday’s announcement included the government’s support of a bid for Britain to host the 2029 World Para Athletics Championships.

“Subject to funding from partners being confirmed, the government has agreed to provide significant funding for both bids, reflecting the UK’s ambition to once again bring the world’s greatest athletes to UK shores,” it said in a statement.

The announcement came with London hosting a Diamond League event on Saturday.

This year’s athletics worlds will take place in Tokyo in September. The 2027 edition will be held in Beijing.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he’s “delighted to support the bid.”

“The event would provide a boost for UK businesses and support jobs as well as bring our communities together,” he said in a statement.

___

AP Sports: https://apnews.com/sports

Copyright
© 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.



Link

Continue Reading

Sports

NRLW: Jacinta Carter on embracing the Cronulla lifestyle

After winning the premiership with Newcastle in her first season of NRLW, Jacinta Carter has now moved to Cronulla in search of opportunities and she’s loving life in the Shire. Chatting to Declan Byrne on ‘The Saturday Sledge’, Carter talks about how she’s embraced her new home, who sat her down to tell her what […]

Published

on


After winning the premiership with Newcastle in her first season of NRLW, Jacinta Carter has now moved to Cronulla in search of opportunities and she’s loving life in the Shire. Chatting to Declan Byrne on ‘The Saturday Sledge’, Carter talks about how she’s embraced her new home, who sat her down to tell her what it means to be a Shark and her level of QLD Origin fandom as kid.



Link

Continue Reading

Sports

Konner Eaton's 11 strikeouts

Copyright © Minor League Baseball. Minor League Baseball trademarks and copyrights are the property of Minor League Baseball. All Rights Reserved 0

Published

on

Konner Eaton's 11 strikeouts

Copyright ©
Minor League Baseball.

Minor League Baseball trademarks and copyrights are the property of Minor League Baseball. All Rights Reserved

Continue Reading

Sports

Tigers' Tanner Rainey

Now Playing Share Link copied! The Tigers signed Rainey to a minor-league contract Friday, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports. Rainey got into 11 games with Pittsburgh earlier this season, posting an ugly 10.57 ERA and 1.70 WHIP with a 9:6 K:BB over 7.2 innings. The righty has spent most of his MLB career […]

Published

on

Tigers' Tanner Rainey

default-cbs-image


Now Playing

Link copied!

The Tigers signed Rainey to a minor-league contract Friday, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.

Rainey got into 11 games with Pittsburgh earlier this season, posting an ugly 10.57 ERA and 1.70 WHIP with a 9:6 K:BB over 7.2 innings. The righty has spent most of his MLB career with the Nationals, with arguably his most productive season coming in 2022, when he racked up 12 saves. Rainey will look to get back on track with Triple-A Toledo in an attempt to make it back up to the majors.

More News

Continue Reading

Sports

Edwards Continues Summer International Tour

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina sophomore Joyce Edwards is back on international duty for USA Basketball as part of the six-woman 2025 USA 3×3 Nations League team competing at the 2025 FIBA 3×3 Nations League America Conferences July 21-27 in Punta Arenas, Chile. This tournament marks Edwards’ third USA Basketball event this summer, including her […]

Published

on

Edwards Continues Summer International Tour

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina sophomore Joyce Edwards is back on international duty for USA Basketball as part of the six-woman 2025 USA 3×3 Nations League team competing at the 2025 FIBA 3×3 Nations League America Conferences July 21-27 in Punta Arenas, Chile.

This tournament marks Edwards’ third USA Basketball event this summer, including her 3×3 debut at the USA Basketball 3X Nationals in May where she teamed with Tessa Johnson, Chloe Kitts and Maddy McDaniel to reach the semifinals. Earlier this month, Edwards helped the U.S. to gold at the 2025 FIBA Women’s AmeriCup in Santiago, Chile. It was her third international gold medal with USA Basketball.

The 2025 FIBA 3×3 Nations League America Conference features six three-game tournaments over seven days. The competition will run in a ‘stops’ format with multiple stops held over the course of the weeklong event. Teams will accumulate points based on their performance in each stop. Team members can substitute as needed for each day’s four-person entry.

The FIBA 3×3 Nations League will be a qualification route to the FIBA 3×3 U23 World Cup 2025. Conference winners will qualify for the event, set for Sept. 17-21 in Xiong An, China. China will receive automatic qualification along with the reigning champion USA team. The rest of the teams will come from the winners of each conference and the next teams in the FIBA 3×3 Nations League 2025 final standings.

The 2025 FIBA 3×3 Nations League will stream live on the official FIBA3x3 YouTube channel.

Continue to check GamecocksOnline.com and the team’s social media accounts (@GamecockWBB) for the most up-to-date information on the women’s basketball season.

Continue Reading

Most Viewed Posts

Trending