The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City may be bigger and more famous, but the Christmas Holidays for 2025 kicked off with a big bang in Coulterville, California on Saturday, Dec. 6 with a parade down Main Street in the fog, along with a Sidewalk Sale and Cookiefest and then the main event. Kids from miles around got to sit on Santa’s lap and make their Christmas wishes known, and Mrs. Claus with the help of some ROTC elves helped them pick out early Christmas presents.
Visitors chowed down on authentic native and Mexican tamales and pulled pork barbecue with a touch of pineapple, and a good time was had by all in spite of the fog.
The Rev. Jerry Johnson of It’s A New Day Recovery Home was this year’s Christmas Parade Grand Marshall. He served barbecue and handed out free camping lights.
Santa and Mrs. Claus setup in the Gazzolo Building where hot coffee and coco was served, along with Christmas cookies.
International Interest
A contingent of reporters from from the Vietnamese Embassy in Los Angeles joined the festivities and covered the event for national television in Vietnam. Trung Pham and his family, including a daughter in the 11th grade and a 10-year-old son were in town visiting James and Nina Rhodes. Pham is a reporter who was based in Washington, D.C., but recently transferred to the Vietnamese Consulate in Los Angeles and will be visiting San Francisco soon as well. Nina and Jim worked with President To Lam when they were assigned to the American Embassy in Hanoi during the Obama administration.
Members of the Coulterville Community Club, which put on the event, would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Photos of the parade and Santa’s visit by Yosemite Radio Station Manager Glynn Wilson
Comments
4 responses
Many braved the elements to see the parade & Santa who gave out MORE than 100 presents (glad you documented it). This is Vietnam Television International’s second visit here to film and 4th overall visit. To my knowledge, Coulterville is the only American city to celebrate normalization of relations between our two countries (30 years) and the end of the American War (50 years). President To Lam has always been a supporter of U.S. interests in SE Asia (China!) and every president from Clinton has visited Hanoi including Trump twice during his first presidency. Coulterville is remarkably similar to villages in Vietnam: remote, self reliant, known for their animals (goats in Nihn Binh where the ambassador is from), have their own network of support, share common values, and are of interest to tourists because of their natural beauty. Unlike some other American cities, the Vietnamese delegations visiting here have always been welcome (IOOF, VFW, Rattlers 4-H, in particular) and if we think about this we would realize the tremendous potential this offers us.
Sorry! I failed to mention the Coulterville Community Club and ALL local businesses, non-profits made this event possible and a great success. Blame my age and know that Santa did NOT give me a gift (the list was probably in his other suit).
As a former “expert” that worked for several USAID contracts in Africa, I can appreciate the importance of the close friendship Coulterville is continuing to have with international friends.
Ken Allen
Turlock, CA
Jim and Nina, you are such fortunate souls to have the wonderful community of Coulterville in which to reside! And how important your ongoing relationship is to the Vietnamese government, press, friends!
Much love and Merry Christmas to you all.