Decades-old Tri-Community tradition brings parade, classic cars, food and family activities to Phelan
PHELAN, Calif. — One of Phelan’s Tri-Community’s oldest traditions is making a return as Phelan Phamily Phun Days features a parade, classic vehicles, delicious food, entertainment, and family activities.
The annual event catering to Phelan, Pinon Hills, Wrightwood, and other surrounding communities originated in the mid-1960s as an employee appreciation barbecue at Swish Poultry Farm and evolved into a community event at the downtown Phelan.
The 2020 Phun Days celebration opens on Saturday, Oct. 3, at 9 a.m. with the Phun Days Parade titled “Stars, Stripes & 250 Years” in commemoration of America’s 250th birthday in 2026.
The parade route starts at the intersection of Phelan Road and Valle Vista Road, goes east, and ends at the junction of Phelan Road and Sheep Creek Road.
The parade opening ceremony will be held at the Phelan Chamber of Commerce “Waterfall,” located across Phelan Elementary School. Traditionally, the parade participants include community organizations, youth athletic teams, local schools, marching bands, horse riding participants, antique tractors, and unique vehicles.
Classic vehicles will be displayed along Phelan Road
The Champagne Classic Car Show opens at 9 a.m. this Saturday, Oct. 3, along Phelan Road between Sheep Creek and Malpaso roads.
All types of vehicles, including classic American cars and foreign imports, motorcycles, and boats, will be presented. However, cars start appearing even earlier in the morning. It is recommended that the visitors show up after 10 a.m., when the majority of car owners are expected to arrive.
The open-header competition will be held at 12:30 p.m., and the car show awards ceremony will take place at 3:30 p.m. According to the organizers, there won’t be any burnout contest this year.
Along with the parade and car show, there will be numerous food vendors, entertainment, carnival games, and fun for kids at Phun Days. Local businesses, craft sellers, churches, clubs, and nonprofit organizations providing social services will operate booths at the celebration.
The Phun Zone will provide amusement rides and carnival games at Phun Days, which adds to the family-friendly nature of the event.
From Phling to Phun
The celebration has been transformed drastically from its origins more than six decades ago.
While initially, the Swish Poultry Farm barbecue turned into a community gathering, it later evolved into a weekend long celebration, where the residents had an opportunity to interact after a long year in the rural High Desert.
In the late 1980s, the organizers decided to rename the event to Phelan Phamily Phun Days to emphasize the role of kids and family activities at the celebration.
The intentionally misspelled word has become a trademark of the event, and for many years, the Tri-Community residents have been calling it “Phun Days.”
It has become both the community festival and an opportunity for businesses, schools, civic organizations, churches, and service groups to present themselves in the Phelan area.
Drivers need to expect considerable traffic disruptions on Saturday, Oct. 3. Phelan Road will be closed to traffic from Johnson to Sheep Creek roads from 7 to 11 a.m. Sheep Creek to Malpaso roads will be closed from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. for Phun Days celebration.
