Dayton Valley Days will celebrate community

Food, frivolity and community spirit won’t be in short supply at Dayton’s biggest annual celebration, which is making its return for the 30th year on Sept. 15 and 16.

The 30th annual Dayton Valley Days festival will fill the streets of Old Town Dayton with arts and craft vendors, food trucks and an overflow of family activities.

This year’s theme, “Community,” is in celebration of the centennial anniversary of the old Dayton High School, now the Dayton Valley Community Center.

Organizers say the event has something for everyone, including a sanctioned chili cook-off, Kids Zone, show and shine and two parades.

Festivities will kick off at 7:30 a.m. Sept. 15 with the pancake breakfast given by the Kiwanis Club in front of the Community Center.

The Dayton Valley Days Parade will begin at 10 a.m. After the parade, revelers can gawk at scores of classic cars at the 16th annual Gold Creek Car Show and Shine.

Other festivities include a pinewood derby race, railroad hand car rides and the eighth annual sanctioned chili cook-off, which will be held both days on Logan Alley.

The money raised from the chili cook-off, sanctioned by the International Chili Society, will benefit the Dayton units of the Boys and Girls Club of Mason Valley.

All animals are welcome to enter the Pet Parade, which will take place at noon Sept. 16 on Pike Street. Registration will begin at 11 a.m. in front of the Community Center.

Other activities planned both days include a silent auction, craft and food booths, entertainment, and tours of the historic museum, firehouse and jail.

The money raised from the silent auction and Dayton Valley Days goes back to projects that benefit the community, like the restoration of the Community Center. Search and Rescue and other organizations also benefit.

For information and a schedule of events, go to daytonvalleydays.org.