Newark Days is an annual celebration that takes place in Newark, California every September to celebrate the incorporation of the city of Newark on September 22, 1955. In its current form it is a four-day event, Thursday through Sunday, in mid to late September. It is centered on Newark Community Park & Community Center as well as the adjacent MacGregor School Grounds. In addition to carnival rides, food and game booths, and stage shows, it includes a race and a parade along "the Newark Mile" (a stretch of Newark Blvd.) on the Saturday morning. Annual attendance for the celebration is more than 100,000. History What is now called Newark Days was originally planned by members of the Newark Chamber of Commerce. They later turned the festivities over to the Jaycees. In the 1960s a group called "Newark Birthday Celebration" was formed. However, the event was not put on during the late 1960s. In 1972, Shirley Sisk called a meeting to see if there were enough volunteers to plan an event for that September. Interest was high, and "Newark Days Celebration" was formed. The Newark Rotary club brought in a carnival, and the committee put together food booths and games at the Pavilion. The weekend was a huge success, and a nonprofit corporation was formed to make it a regular annual event. A volunteer 30-member committee works year-round to organize it, and more than 200 volunteers assist at the event. In 2005, Newark Days celebrated Newark's 50th anniversary with a 1950s theme and the return of Arknew, a kangaroo that was Newark's old town mascot. The festival was held virtually in 2020 due to concerns around COVID-19. The 2021 celebration was cancelled just weeks before the event due to increasing infection numbers from the COVID Delta variant. Newark Days returned in 2022 with a full in-person festival. Themes Every year, the Newark Days Celebration features a different theme. 1988 Every Day's a Holiday 1989 People, Pride & Progress 1990 The Magic of Newark 1991 Newark Then & Now 1992 Where Fairy Tales Come True 1993 Railroad Days 1994 The Best of the West 1995 Remembering When 1996 There's No Place Like Home 1997 It's a Small World 1998 Under the Big Top 1999 Every Day's a Holiday 2000 The Sounds of Music 2001 Newarks of the World 2002 Celebrate America 2003 Every Day's a Holiday 2004 Exploring the West 2005 50