The Clydesdales are coming!

Budweiser’s iconic Clydesdale horses will be settling down for a one-week stay on Catalina beginning on Tuesday, June 28, culminating in an appearance in the 4th of July parade on Crescent Avenue.

The Clydesdales will be “stabled” on the empty lot on Beacon Street between Sumner Avenue and Catalina Street.  When not making various appearances around town, the horses will be viewable by the public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Budweiser’s iconic Clydesdale horses will be settling down for a one-week stay on Catalina beginning on Tuesday, June 28, culminating in an appearance in the 4th of July parade on Crescent Avenue.

The Clydesdales will be “stabled” on the empty lot on Beacon Street between Sumner Avenue and Catalina Street.  When not making various appearances around town, the horses will be viewable by the public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

According to Levent Alkibay, CEO of Catalina Beverage which represents Budweiser products on the island, the horses will be included in a number of photo shots with the Sunshine Kids and other groups in Avalon.  Additional photo shoots will be of the horses making beer deliveries as well as visiting local Avalon landmarks.

“I hope the residents of this island as well as the tourists coming to the island will leave with some very special memories after viewing these rock stars in Avalon,” said Alkibay.  “Knowing the fact that I was part of something this special and making it happen for a community I call home is a huge joy for me.”

Anheuser-Busch Brewing Company actually owns several different teams of Clydesdales.  Some of the teams are kept at the company’s headquarters in St. Louis, MO, while others spend much of their time on the road visiting assorted venues, such as Catalina Island.

The company first introduced their Clydesdale teams to the public in 1933 to celebrate the repeal of Prohibition.

Clydesdale horses as a breed originally hailed from the Clydesdale region of Scotland where they were bred as draught horses and used in everything from farming and forestry to hauling merchandise and industrial products.  Some Clydesdales are still used in farming today.

Though originally a small breed, modern Clydesdales are now noted for their large size and are often used for show purposes, namely at sporting events and, in the United Kingdom, as drum horses for the British Army’s Household Cavalry.