With a spectacular float, a fully restored mid-century Arcadia police car, and festive booth display, The Arcadia Historical Society and sister organization, Friends of the Arcadia Historical Society, mobilized to share in community celebration at last Saturday’s Arcadia’s Best Foundation July 2 Patriotic Parade and Festival in Arcadia’s downtown business district.
With the San Gabriel Mountains serving as a picturesque back drop, the colorful Friends of the Historical Society float paraded their pride and patriotism with flag and pennant waving society members dressed in turn of the century costume replete with fancy parasols up historic First Avenue. Driving the Arcadia Police Department’s fully operational 1959 Ford Galaxy 500 was the Society’s President Gene Glasco, who thrilled parade goers with its pulsing red lights and wailing siren. Since last year, the Arcadia Historical Society has been helping in the restoration and maintenance of the department’s police car by soliciting donations at various community oriented historical society events.
After the parade, with the ever popular specialty food trucks anchoring the north end of First Avenue just below Huntington Drive, varied and interesting exhibits lined both sides of First Avenue’s upper business district, including the Arcadia Historical Society booth which solicited new memberships and gave away free crayons and magic tricks to children in attendance.
Throngs of people crowded around the classic Arcadia police car parked next to the Society’s booth, many taking pictures and posing behind the steering wheel. Even Ronald McDonald got in on the act, and had his picture taken while faking a call to “headquarters” on the police car’s mobile radio! A good time was had by one and all, including Ronald, who said with a straight face, he wasn’t clowning around about joining the Arcadia Historical Society. How about you? You can find an application for membership on our website.
