TAFT, Calif. (KERO) — Every five years, hundreds of visitors flock to Taft to celebrate Oildorado Days, a tradition that brings parades, family activities and economic benefits to the small California city.
Diane Strickfaden attended the celebration for the first time after hearing about it a year ago. She was impressed by the scale of the festivities.
"Oh, it's really interesting. It's a lot larger than I expected," Strickfaden said.
She participated in multiple events throughout the celebration.
"We have had a great time. We've gone to several of the events. We went to boomtown day's lunch yesterday, and then we went into black gold brewery, which has a special beer they brewed just for this celebration, and it's really good," Strickfaden said.
Taft became a city in 1910, and 20 years later the community decided to celebrate their small town, launching what would become the Oildorado Days tradition. The celebration has undergone some adjustments over the decades.
Originally, organizers wanted to hold the event annually, but that proved too challenging. In the 1940s, the committee decided to hold the celebration every five years instead. The tradition continued consistently until 2020, when the pandemic forced a postponement to 2021.
The event started through the chamber of commerce but is now organized by a fully volunteer group.
Stephanie Molina serves as the 2025 Oildorado president and says the celebration provides an important economic boost to local businesses.
"A bar right across the street from the entertainment center that stays plenty busy. We love that it brings money in that they don't normally get a chance to give. Same with the local restaurants that are nearby," Molina said.
The 10-day celebration also benefits the city itself by generating funding for future events.
"That's where one of the best parts of Oildorado is we don't we like to do it to benefit the community. It just isn't to benefit will dorado. What we bring in helps sustain funding for future celebrations," Molina said.
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