Wellton celebrates its history Saturday with parade, festival

Getting rained out in Wellton doesn’t mean getting called off.

The town’s annual Wellton Pioneer Day Parade and Fiesta, canceled last weekend because of rain, is on again this Saturday.

Longtime Wellton residents Charles and Billie Slocum will be at the head of the line as grand marshals of the 40th annual parade, which will leave West Side Park at 10 a.m. and proceed east on Los Angeles Avenue to Butterfield Park.

The parade and the fiesta that follows celebrate the town’s founding and its history.

The Wellton Town Council picked the Slocums to serve as parade grand marshals based on their longtime involvement in and contributions to the community, Wellton’s deputy town clerk, Sandy Jones, said.

Charles Slocum worked for 37 years for the Wellton-Mohawk Irrigation & Drainage District, first as an engineer and later as general manager. He also served 12 years on the Wellton Elementary School District governing board, and he has been a member of the Yuma County Flood Control Board since its inception.

His wife Billie taught developmental reading at Arizona Western College for 24 years, and currently she is president of the newly revived Wellton-Mohawk Fine Arts and Historical Association.

“It’s an honor” to be picked as parade grand marshals, Billie Slocum said.

For Saturday’s parade, entries should line up at West Side Park by 8:30 a.m.

A panel of judges will select the best parade entries in the cat- egories float, youth group, adult group, automobile, horseback, open category, and best overall entry. Plaques will be given out to winners.

Following the parade, festivities continue at Butterfield Park, with a flag-raising ceremony taking place at 11 a.m., after which a barbecue meal with carne asada will be served. DJ music and belly dance performances begin at 11:30 a.m.