The Fall Festival was a great, fun-filled day for families and residents alike

LIVE OAK, CA (MPG) - After a year hiatus, the Live Oak Lions brought back the Live Oak Fall Festival for the 67^th time since 1954.

An excited community gathered along Broadway Street in Live Oak as Saturday’s festival got off to a rousing start with a parade, brought to residents by the Live Oak Lions and the City of Live Oak Parks and Recreation. Live Oak Police Department’s Motorcycle Deputy Austin Beymer demonstrated some technical driving and cleared the roadway for Live Oak Fire Department’s Engine 5 to delight the crowds as it shot streams of water from its cannon. What followed was a steady stream of Live Oak City and Sutter County Sheriff’s Department vehicles, community groups such as the Live Oak Youth Soccer Teams having fun with silly string and poppers, and Live Oak High School FFA rolling deep down Broadway on their bikes. Tractors, exotic cars, giant pumpkins, and a mariachi band accompanied by dancing horses rounded out the parade.

Residents then made their way to Live Oak Memorial Park for family fun courtesy of the Live Oak Lions via their game booth, crafters and vendors and took advantage of tasty eats. As the crowd settled in at the festival, announcer Keith Brodsen got the presentation of awards program started on behalf of the Live Oak Lions. Opened by the Live Oak High School Choir and their rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner, Brodsen gave the crowd a history of the festival, known as its beginning as the “Picnic in the Park”, through its middle years as the “Live Oak Peach Festival”, to its current moniker, the “Live Oak Lions Fall Festival.”

It then was time for Miss Live Oak 2019, Elena Sanchez’s 2-year reign to end. Sanchez had the honor of crowning 2021’s Miss Live Oak, Lesley Zarco, a Senior at LOHS. Zarco has the honor of being the 6^th Miss Live Oak crowned, after a long hiatus, and reinstatement of the program back in 2015. She thanked her family and siblings and extended a special thanks to the “Live Oak Lions for giving me this opportunity and the same to the City of Live Oak for hosting this festival.”

Next, Deputy Austin Beymer and Firefighter Carlos Del Rio were pulled from the crowd.

Brodsen read aloud a statement about Deputy Beymer, from nominating Officer Craig Hungrige, awarding him the honor and accompanying plaque presented by the Live Oak Lions Club for Officer of the Year, 2021. “Deputy Beymer has shouldered a heavy load of responsibility besides his daily duties. He is also a field training officer, teaching newly hired patrol deputies how to someday function as a solo deputy. He is a member of the Sutter County Sheriff’s Office dive team; he also played a pivotal role in starting and becoming the first motorcycle deputy for the Sutter County Sheriff’s Office and City of Live Oak. He is a great all-around deputy.”  Deputy Beymer has worked with the SCSO for the last 2 years and has been in law enforcement for the last nine. He says his favorite part of the job is “Giving back to the community.”

Following Beymer, Live Oak Fire Department’s Captain Carlos Del Rio was awarded Live Oak Lions Firefighter of the Year Award, 2021. Brodsen read allowed a statement from his nominating officer, Battalion Chief Rich Epperson: “He (Del Rio) has dedicated his career to Live Oak and volunteers his time on, and off duty, to the citizen of Live Oak and Sutter County. Captain Del Rio volunteers … every year, to “Fill the Boot” for the Burn Victims Institute to help burn victims” raise money. Captain Del Rio has worked for the Live Oak Fire Department for 13 years, and currently helps teach at the fire academy. He says the best part of his job is that “You get to make a difference.”

The festival awards wrapped up with the Live Oak Lions Car show. Newly crowned Miss Live Oak selected the winner of “Best of Show,” which went to Jerry Adams and his ‘68 yellow Chevy Camaro, which also took 1^st place and the Fireman’s award. Second place and the “Lions Award” went to Ed Clark and his Chevy, Chop Top, with 3^rd place and the “Mayor’s Award” going to Joseph Turner and his Chevy, Chevelle SS.

Overall, the Fall Festival was a great, fun-filled day for families and residents alike. Organizer and Lion Kathy Grove said, “We had a great turnout!” regarding the crowd and looks forward to another great festival next fall.