A large and exuberant crowd of about 400 persons turned out at Diamond Bar Arena south of Ceres Wednesday evening, Aug. 31, to cheer on their favorite horse-mounted members of the Imperial Knights, a touring company that recreates the thrill of a medieval joust and tournament. The dinner and entertainment show raised between $5,000 and $6,000 apiece for the Ceres High and Central Valley High athletic programs.

"The evening went really well," said Shawna Nunes, the athletic director of Ceres High School. "It was really fun to see almost 30 little kids lined up along the fence watching the events."

The show employs actors carrying authentic style Medieval-era weapons and clad in armor along with colorful heraldry and costuming for each character.

The arena hosted the first Imperial Knights event in 2009.
The Imperial Knights Production Company, which is based in Norco, Calif., presented a show with about eight players in a similar fashion to the Medieval Times venue in Southern California and Orlando, Fla. Knights jousted and put on a medieval type show as well as offered displays of weaponry.

Nunes said the event was a major production with dinner tables sold at $300 per table and other spectators in the bleachers who paid $10 for the show.

Members of the Ceres Lions Club barbecued a chicken and turkey leg meal as part of the fundraiser but members of the public had the option of just watching the show. The meal was rounded out with salad, beans and dinner roll.

The event was made possible by Shane and Kim Parson who donated the use of their arena on South Central Avenue at Keyes Road.

The traveling show was introduced to Ceres in 2009 when the traveling troupe called Parson about the possibility of boarding horses on the way up and down Highway 99 to venues.