Planada celebrates annual Community Day

Planada residents came together Saturday for their annual Community Day, a 50-plus-year celebration that highlights its people and traditions.

As it does every year, the event kicked off with a parade down Stanford Avenue, followed by an afternoon of games, music and a barbecue.

This year’s parade featured the Garcia brothers, four longtime Planada residents, as the grand marshals. The brothers, who operate Garcia Bros. Trucking of Planada, were recognized for their years of service and support of area organizations.

The brothers have 50 trucks that move crops throughout California and Las Vegas. They employ about 150 people, most of them local residents, and also offer summer jobs to youths from Le Grand High School.

Originally from Guanajuato, Mexico, the brothers immigrated to the United States in the 1970s. They started their trucking business in Planada in 1990.

According to organizers, the Garcia brothers and their families are best known for their participation in local projects. They donate to schools, churches and youth programs.

“We do what we can,” said Antonio Garcia, 60, the oldest of the brothers, in Spanish. “We like to give back to the community that opened doors for us and has provided us with so much over the years.”

His brother Jose Garcia, 58, said it was a real surprise to learn that they had been selected as this year’s grand marshals. “We didn’t even know we were nominated until a few weeks ago,” he said. “It’s an honor and we’re very happy to be here.”

The parade also included the Hoover Middle School marching band, folklorico dance groups, the California Highway Patrol, the Merced County Sheriff’s Department, and car clubs.

At noon, residents lined up for one of the event’s main attractions – the barbecue.

Ben Esquivel, one of the event organizers, said that in a community where almost every face is familiar, celebrations like this feel like a large family reunion.

“Everyone knows everyone,” Esquivel said. A Le Grand resident and Planada business owner, Esquivel said he has attended the event for as long as he can remember.

“It’s a nice day to come to the park feeling safe and show visitors that our community has a lot of good things going on,” he said.

Community Day grows each year, according to organizers. They estimate about 2,000 people from across Merced County and neighboring communities show up throughout the day.

This story was originally published May 9, 2015 at 3:17 PM with the headline "Planada celebrates annual Community Day."