CoyoteFest 2016 was the Howlin’ Best Yet! 

Article by Dale Silverman

“Coulterville hasn't seen so many people since the Gold Rush.” notes Mirium Jones.  “If we keep growing, we’ll have booths all the way up to the schoolhouse” exclaimed Sandy Richesin, vendor co-chair.  “Photos and kudos are popping up all across the internet!” exclaimed Nina Mimnaugh, Car Show chair.” 

The parade was filled with floats, horses, bands, youth groups and lots of patriotism, with the Tom Jenkins VFW post leading the way, followed by the E Clampus Vitus Matuca Chapter carrying their Bennington flag. Alberta Jeffery Garret rode in style as the Grand Marshall, the local branches of fire and sheriff’s offices were well represented and many of the hot rods, antique and classic cars made their was down main St. before parking in the car show. 

Outgrowing the Coulterville Park, vendors lined both Park St. and one side of Main St. with 52 amazing cars filling Main St.  The crowds were so large that vendors and Coulterville’s merchants were kept busy all day! 

Nearly 50 contestants, ranging in age from 2 to about 72, howled very attention-grabbing, sometimes authentically eerie howls.   The local hillbillies put on a rousing hilarious performance to a really, really big audience, as the park filled early with visitors and was still jam packed as the day’s events were winding down at 4 pm! 

2016 CoyoteFest Winners

31^st Coyote Howl

PUPS:

1st:  Lily Johnson

2nd: Dylan Redd

3rd:  Grace Welch

ADULTS: 

1st:  Monica Bianchi

2nd:  Dennis Welch

3rd:  Charlotte Theis

PUP PACKS:  

1st:  Trey Huff, Nico Smith

2nd:  Kaley Fuson, Ryan Fuson, Scott Lyman, Brandon Hogan, Joe Hogan

3rd:  Logan Hein, Clayton Hein, Scarlett Milani, Harper Milani, Darius Baca

Sierra Nevada Guns 4 Hire Howled their way to 1st Place

MIXED GROUPS: 

1st: Sierra Nevada Guns For Hire

2nd:  Defending Champs – Helen Bauman, Mike Kambeitz, Dale Silverman (sub for M. Jones)

3rd:  Amanda and Charlie Gibson

Car Show - 44  entries

1st:  Keith Truax for 1969 AMC AMX From La Grange Ca

        Winner of the Bill Lane Memorial People's Choice 1st Place award.

2nd: Bob & Donna Clayton  1970 Cadillac Convertible

Booths - 60

Best Decorated: Kathy Duncan - Moon Doggie
Best Coyote Themed: Doreen Radovich

Parade:
   Best Coyote Theme: Sierra Nevada Guns for Hire
   Best Single Entry: Salute to 100 Years Park Service
   Best Group: Mariposa High School Grizzly Band

Horseshoe Contest -  6 teams

1^st Place team: Paul and Marty Fuentes

IT TAKES A COMMUNITY!

The board of directors of the Northern Mariposa County History Center extends a heart-felt thank you to all those that came out to enjoy the 2016 Coulterville CoyoteFest.  To each and every car participant, our vendors, sponsors, and all the wonderful people that it took to make this a great day, THANK YOU!!” 
Special thanks go to:

Each and ever one of the CoyoteFest committee members:  Helen Bauman, Sharon Coolidge, Ellie Duste, Leslie Farrow, MaryAnn Huff, Mike Kambeitz, Nina Mimnaugh, Cathy Partan, Sandy Richesin, Stacy Serrato, Richard Shimer, Dale Silverman, Monty Thornburg, Tricia Towne.  And to Lorrie Sue MCLarry and Michelle Shaw for their assistance with the car show, to Dennis Fiske and Debbie Cardoza, who ran the horseshoe contest and to the Linseys, who donated space for parking.

The IOOF who coordinated the parade, the Greeley Hill School Parents Club who took on the Kids Corner, the Coulterville Community Club (CCC) who organized the entertainment.

Our wonderful sponsors, including our event/car show/car show trophy sponsor, Allied Auto, the Y/MC Tourism Bureau, and the MC Tobacco Educ. Program as well as our entertainment sponsors: the CCC, Supervisor D2 Merlin Jones, Rabobank, Wildlfire Ranch and Yosemite Bank.  Also thank you to the many car show and T-shirt sponsors.   The support from these sponsors not only contributed to the events big success but also helped make it a successful fund-raiser for the history center!
Kudos to our announcers: MaryAnn Huff and Debbie Cook (parade) and David Silverman and Gavin Mimnaugh (park) as well as Leslie Farrow who MC’d the Howling Contest. 

Also, thank you to all of the SCOPE volunteers who spent the day doing traffic control.  And to all of the other organizations that helped us with things such as road closures including Cal Trans; the CA Highway Patrol; the Mariposa County Sheriff's Dept., Health Dept., Parks and Rec., County Road Dept. as well as Mercy Ambulance and Cal Fire.  

And thank you to all of our entertainers: the Coyote Hill Band, the Sierra Nevada Guns 4 Hire, Mr. Stilts (David Volponi), and fiddler Kari Lin La See, the LDP Line Dancers and our local Hillbillies, Leslie Farrow, Barbara Balestrieri and Fran Horn.  And thank you to our Coyote Howl Judges!

Lastly, a big thank you to Al Golub who took such great photos of the parade and the howlers and generously has allowed us to share them on the CoyoteFest’s Facebook page, #CoyoteFestcoultervillecayosemite.  Be sure and visit our page and check out so many other’s photos posted there.  And, be sure and mark your calendar for September 23, 2017, the date of next year’s CoyoteFest!

Visit CoyoteFest website for more information.