The Conejo Valley Days Parade has long been known as one of the largest community parades in Southern California. It annually attracts many award winning bands, schools, horse riders, clowns and entries from all over California. The Kiwanis Club of Thousand Oaks coordinates the hundreds of entries and devotes many hours of hard work to present an event the community can enjoy!

In 1957, there were less than 5,000 people living in the Conejo Valley and they decided to have a parade. Famed lion tamer Mabel Stark, who appeared at the famous "Jungleland" was named Grand Marshal. Small at first, the Parade grew each year with new entries and ideas. In 1968, Hugh Holbert of the Kiwanis Club of Thousand Oaks, chaired the event as it went down Ventura Boulevard (now Thousand Oaks Boulevard) near Erbes Road and finished in front of Du-Pars Restaurant. The date had to be postponed that year, at the last minute, because of the assassination of Senator Robert Kennedy in Los Angeles. Over the years, the parade became a community tradition and an important part of Conejo Valley Days, as families and neighbors would gather together early in the morning to see Donna "Conejo" Fargo in her 1930's red, vintage Model A pick-up truck, "Queenie", lead the parade along with the Grand Marshal, dignitaries, celebrities and clubs and organizations who would work for days preparing their entries.

The parade route was changed to begin at Duesenberg and end at Erbes Road for many years (until the crowd got a little too spirited, prompting a temporary change in venue to Hillcrest Drive in 1981 for one year). The Parade has featured MGM's Leo the Lion, the famous Clydesdale Horses, Walter Brennan, Joel McCrea, Strother Martin, Slim Pickens, Mr. Whipple, and the Wells Fargo Stagecoach. Everyone loves a parade, so find your favorite viewing spot along Thousand Oaks Boulevard, bring your family and friends and enjoy the sunshine, camaraderie, and the best parade in town!

The 2008 Conejo Valley Days Parade will take place on Saturday, May 3, 2008, at 9:00 a.m. along Thousand Oaks Boulevard. The parade route has been changed once more to begin at Pierce Arrow to allow for parking and watching the parade from the parking lot across from the Auto Mall. However, it will end up at the same place - The Lakes. For a schedule of all events related to Conejo Valley Days, visit our schedule.

To be a part of next year's Conejo Valley Days Parade, visit the Kiwanis Club of Thousand Oaks website.