Cutest Chick Crowned, Petaluma Butter & Egg Day Parade: PHOTOS

PETALUMA, CA — While her mother was adjusting her outfit, 19-month-old Aurora Roland was already working the crowd and judges to capture first place in the 35th annual Cutest Little Chick in Town contest precluding Petaluma's 2019 Butter & Egg Days parade and festivities Saturday.

Little Aurora of Rohnert Park had some tough competition with 62 other registered contestants ranging from age 2 months to 5 years old. The event emcee Jeff Mayne advised that online registration for the Cutest Little Chick had to be cut off due to its popularity.

The main event, the annual Butter and Egg Days Parade, was so big that spectators came out the night before to line the curbs with chairs to save their favorite viewing spot along the downtown Petaluma parade route.

There were 140 entries and some 3,000 participants in the parade, from marching bands and youth groups to dancers, first responders, city officials, exotic snakes and a few horse riders.

With a theme this year of "It's Always Punny in Petaluma," the popular Sonoma County parade did not fail to delight an estimated 20,000 spectators.