The 16th annual Day of the Horse weekend, a three-day celebration in Woodside of all things equine, will bring the community together — safely — Oct. 9-11 for three days of horse-focused festivities.

Volunteers from the Woodside Area Horse Owners Association (WHOA!), who organized this event, have taken on the challenges of event planning during a pandemic at a full gallop, adapting the Day of the Horse into a hybrid of virtual and in-person activities.

The event kicks off Oct. 9 with an online "Art of the Horse" exhibit, featuring images of over 100 paintings, photographs, and sculptures of horses. The public can view the art and vote for their favorites. The top 12 vote-getters will grace the pages of the 2021 WHOA! Calendar. The exhibit is available online for viewing and voting. Though visitors can only select their favorites through Oct. 10, the exhibit will stay online throughout the year.

A progressive trail ride takes place on Saturday, Oct. 10, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., on town trails. Riders are invited to dress up in costumes inspired by this year's "Roaring '20s" theme. The route, which includes stops at public and private horse-friendly locations primarily in Woodside, required pre-registration due to COVID restrictions.

The weekend wraps up on Sunday, Oct. 11, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., with a drive-thru Family Fun Horse Fair held in the parking lot at Woodside Town Hall, 2995 Woodside Road. The fair features a variety of horse exhibits, including a farrier (horseshoeing) exhibition and demonstrations of equestrian skills such as dressage and vaulting. Also, the fair will find many types of horses, from petite ponies and miniature horses to brawny Clydesdales, strutting their stuff for the visitors driving by. The event is also offering a virtual version of the horse fair. Organizers are offering free plush ponies to the first 500 attendees.

True to its mission of supporting the area's equestrian community, WHOA! has given over $200,000 to many local projects through funds raised from the Day of The Horse. Most recently, WHOA! worked with the Woodside Community Foundation to donate $10,000 to help with rescue and relief efforts for large animals displaced by the CZU Complex fires. The group also contributed $25,000 to the roughly $200,00 that was needed for completion of the Center Trail Bridge Project.

If you're interested

The Day of the Horse offers both virtual and in-person events Oct. 9-11. For more information, visit whoa94062.org.