The countdown is on for Phelan Phamily Phun Days, returning Saturday, Oct. 3, for a full day of hometown traditions, food, entertainment, cars, art and plenty of “phun” along Phelan Road.

Presented by the Phelan Chamber of Commerce, Phun Days is one of the Tri-Community’s longest-running annual traditions, bringing generations of local families together each fall.

This year’s parade theme, “Stars, Stripes & 250 Years,” recognizes America’s 250th anniversary while giving local schools, clubs, organizations and businesses plenty of room to put their own spin on the celebration.

Admission to the event is free.

Phun Days Parade Starts the Morning

The Phun Days Parade kicks things off at 9 a.m., traveling west along Phelan Road from near Valle Vista Road to Sheep Creek Road.

The parade begins with an opening ceremony at the Phelan Chamber’s waterfall sign across from Phelan Elementary School. It is also one of the best places to watch, with each entry stopping briefly as the emcee introduces participants and judges make their selections.

Part of the fun of the Phun Days Parade has always been its variety. Over the years, spectators have seen school groups, local organizations, youth sports teams, antique tractors, equestrians, elected officials and enough unusual cars and homemade entries to keep people guessing about what might come down Phelan Road next.

Parade awards are scheduled to be presented on the Phun Days stage at 12:30 p.m.

Champagne Classic Car Show Takes Over Phelan Road

After the parade clears, attention shifts to another longtime Phun Days tradition, the Champagne Classic Car Show.

Cars, trucks, motorcycles and other vehicles will fill Phelan Road between Sheep Creek Road and Malpaso Road. The show welcomes American classics, imports, motorcycles and other unique vehicles, making it as much fun for the casual visitor as it is for the serious car enthusiast.

The Open Header Contest returns at 12:30 p.m., giving some of the car show participants an opportunity to make a little noise up and down the street.

Car show awards will be presented at 3:30 p.m.

The Phun Zone Returns

For the younger crowd — and a few adults who may still qualify as kids at heart — the Phun Zone will return with rides, interactive attractions and carnival games throughout the day.

Featured attractions include the Orbitron, giant rock climbing wall, giant inflatable slide and obstacle course, along with a variety of carnival games.

Wristbands are $20 and include unlimited rides and carnival games throughout the day. Individual $5 tickets are also available for one ride or one round of carnival games.

For families planning to spend several hours at Phun Days, the wristband provides plenty to keep the kids occupied while everyone makes their way through the rest of the event.

Main Stage Keeps Things Moving

The Phun Days stage will stay busy throughout the day with music, contests and award presentations.

A DJ begins playing at 10 a.m., followed by the kids’ hula hoop contest at 11 a.m. and the adult hula hoop contest at 11:30 a.m.

At noon, contestants can put their facial hair to the test during the beard and mustache contest.

After the parade awards and Open Header Contest at 12:30 p.m., the contests return at 2 p.m. with the kids’ rubber chicken toss, followed by the adult competition at 2:30 p.m.

Contest space is limited. Kids’ contests are open to ages 13 and younger, while adult contests are for ages 14 and older.

Between the contests, awards and music, the stage gives visitors another place to stop for a while before heading back through the car show, vendors and other activities.

Desert Visions Art Show Returns

The Desert Visions Art Show will also return to Phun Days this year, bringing another side of the Tri-Community’s creativity to the event.

Presented by the Piñon Hills Chamber of Commerce, the show features work from local and regional artists and gives visitors a chance to browse artwork while making their way through the day’s activities.

Photography, painting, sculpture and other forms of art have been represented in the show, offering a quieter stop among the cars, music, rides and crowds that fill Phelan Road during Phun Days.

Food, Vendors and the Beer Garden

There will be plenty of opportunities to grab something to eat along the way, with food vendors and food trucks serving throughout the event.

Local businesses, crafters, churches, nonprofit organizations, service clubs and other community groups will also fill rows of vendor booths.

The Beer Garden returns for adults looking for a place to sit down, take a break and enjoy a cold beverage before heading back out into the event.

That combination of activities is part of what has kept Phun Days going for so many years. You can watch the parade in the morning, spend some time looking at cars, take the kids to the Phun Zone, browse the art show, grab something to eat and probably stop several times along the way because you ran into someone you know.

From Phelan Phling to Phun Days

The event’s roots go back to the 1960s, when Swish Poultry Farm held an employee appreciation barbecue that eventually grew into a larger community event known as the Phelan Phling.

By the late 1980s, the event had evolved into Phelan Phamily Phun Days, with more activities aimed at families and the broader community.

Today, most locals simply call it Phun Days, but the basic idea has remained much the same: bring people together, celebrate the community and give everyone a reason to spend the day in Phelan.

For some families, attending the parade has become an annual tradition passed from one generation to the next. Others come to support a school group, organization or business, enter a car in the show, volunteer at a booth or simply spend the day visiting with friends and neighbors.

Whatever brings people out, on the first Saturday in October a stretch of Phelan Road becomes something a little different — a place for much of the Tri-Community to gather in one spot.

Phelan Phamily Phun Days takes place Saturday, Oct. 3.

Motorists should plan for road closures during the event. Phelan Road will be closed to through traffic between Johnson and Sheep Creek roads from 7 to 11 a.m. for the parade. Phelan Road between Sheep Creek and Malpaso roads will remain closed from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. for the car show and other activities.

Additional information, including parade, car show and vendor registration, is available at PhunDays.com.