Valley Center Honorary Mayor | Valley Center Western Days

Current Mayor:
Lavonne Norwood, Armor Fabrication & Fence

The Honorary Mayor of Valley Center is the most senior non-official position in Valley Center. A decades-old tradition, the position has zero power but comes with bragging rights, a sash, and is encouraged to attend events in the community as our most important honorary mayor. Mayors are encouraged to promise everything and delivery nothing. No property taxes for life? No problem! Your mayor is here to deliver! Campaigns kick off during the annual Valley Center Irish Stew Cook-off in March, then winners announced during the Friday night activities of Valley Center Western Days a few months later. The term is one year beginning 10:00 a.m. when the Western Days Parade begins and ends at 9:59 a.m. the following year at the Western Days Parade. The first official duty of Honorary Mayor is to ride in the Western Days Parade and receive the adoration of the teeming masses for that one thrilling pass on Valley Center Road.

2023 Candidates

Ron Johnson • Optimist Club of Valley Center

Jim Nielson • Valley Center Democratic Club

Lavonne Norwood • Valley Center Business Association

Wehay Quisquis • Valley Center Western Days

Shelby Rattray • Promote Valley Center

Amanda Yates • Miss Valley Center Pageant

VC Honorary Mayor Contest and Fundraiser Rules

Any service club, non-profit, or group of individuals are eligible to enter the Honorary Mayors Race contest and must declare candidacy at the VC Irish Stew Cook-off.
It must be run as a fundraiser for a charity/non-profit of your choice, or for your group. Funds raised may not be for profit.
The candidate will be interviewed for the Valley Magazine and Valley Roadrunner.
The candidate is expected to have outrageous campaign promises!
The title of Honorary Mayor has no value other than bragging rights. There is no significant distinction or duties.
The contest runs from the Irish Stew Cook-off (mid-March) to the Western Days Guns & Hoses Chili Cook-off (Friday of Western Days).
The idea of the contest is to raise money (and a lot of it) for your group or charity.
The candidate will receive one chip for each $100 (or part thereof) raised. (Example: You raise $1,000, you get 10 chips)
If the candidate attends a local community function/event prior to Western Days as a candidate and shares a photo(s) on Facebook or Instagram with the hashtags: #ValleyCenterMayor and #VCWesternDays, the candidate will receive a bonus chip.
At the Guns & Hoses Chili Cook-off, Friday night of Western Days, all candidates will present to the Western Days Treasurer a check made payable to VC Western Days, or cash, totaling 10% of the total funds raised for the program. 90% is retained by the candidates group. (Example: Group raises $1,200. Payment for $120. Group retains the remaining $1,000 for their non-profit or charity) Twelve chips will be assigned to that candidate. Deadline to turn payment to Treasurer shall be 6:00pm. Selection shall be made at 6:45pm.
The Honorary Mayor is selected by random drawing during the Guns & Hoses Chili Cook-Off Friday night of Western Days. All chips will be placed in a barrel and the winning chip will be drawn by Miss Valley Center, if available.
Final and most important rule: Raise money for your favorite charity and HAVE FUN!

Do you want to toss your hat in the 2022-23 race?
Email Mayor@WesternDays.org with your name and group/business you’re associated with, or if you’re running independently. We’ll shoot you over all the details on how you can win this prestigious history-making position. Good luck! The non-profit Valley Center Western Days is the organizer of the Honorary Mayors Race and program.

The last couple of “Mayor-type figures” – with all that fame and power, they are always trying to take the title back!