Oakdale celebrates its 150th birthday, and rediscovers the joy of gathering
A few thousand people turned out Saturday to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Oakdale’s founding.
The day’s events started with a parade along a mile of F Street, followed by tractor pulls, music and fireworks at the Oakdale Rodeo Grounds.
Oakdale got its start in 1871, when the Stockton and Visalia Railroad met the Copperopolis Railroad. Both lines are long gone, but a city of about 23,000 carries on.
Saturday’s were among the area’s first large public gatherings since the June 15 lifting of most COVID-19 restrictions.
The parade was diverse. Several equestrian groups took part, reflecting the Cowboy Capital. One float supported LGBTQ+ people, entered by Oakdale Pride. Yet another group combined horsemanship with Latino music.
This story was originally published June 27, 2021 at 6:36 AM.
