By Nathan Chiochios

PARADISE >> Despite inclement weather Saturday, locals and visitors came out to celebrate Gold Nugget Days.

A rain-soaked crowd lined Skyway for the parade, a centerpiece of the annual festival in Paradise marking the discovery of a 54-pound gold nugget in 1859.

Old cars, horses and floats paraded down the street, celebrating the famous Dogtown Nugget, with many organizations in the Paradise area featured. The Gold Nugget Queen, this year being Kylin Crawford, was also celebrated with her own float.

For many ridge residents such as Bill Reeves, the parade is a way for the community to come together.

Reeves, who lives in Magalia, builds outdoor decorations, like planters and mirrors, out of old equipment like cars and shovels. He has been in the area for around 50 years, and every year, he says, people come up to him and talk about buying his products the year before.

Saturday, his booth was full of printouts from eBay and Amazon showing the price of similar items, contrasting the much lower prices that he charges. It’s a hobby for him; Reeves said he doesn’t do it to keep the lights on.

“People may not buy a thing, but they’ll say, ‘Hey, we like your stuff’,” he said. “That’s enough motivation for me.”

Reeves said that people want to feel good, and the parade is a big part of that.

“I mean, six years ago, this place is burning down,” he said, referring to the Camp Fire. “People are looking for good news instead of bad news. And people look at this situation and say. ‘There’s good things happening.’”

Though rain was constant throughout the early afternoon, spirits were up and the rows of vendors were bustling with people. Rows of vendors lined the walkways outside the Terry Ashe Recreation Center, while the Gold Nugget Craft Fair ran simultaneously inside.

John Akman, owner of Magalia Rocks and Crystals, said he wasn’t surprised at the turnout.

“The people up here are really resilient,” he said. “They go through the rain, they go through whatever. If they want to have a good time, they’re going to have a good time.”

Akman, who is originally from Orland but lives in Magalia, said it’s great being able to run the booth in his backyard.

“You get to have your social time with people you know, and you get to bring things out that people like and enjoy,” he said.

Akman added that the parade, and the community as a whole, continues to grow.

“It’s really family-oriented here in Paradise,” he said. “It keeps getting bigger, and you have more and more people able to come back.”

The festival opened Thursday and continues through today.