Santa Clara Valley Carvers

Sharing the art of woodcarving with the community

The logo of the California Carvers Guild (CCG)

Woodcarving at Scout-O-Rama San Jose, 2026

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Roman Chernikov (SCVC)

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The grounds of History Park came alive with the energy of scouts, families, and craftsmen on Saturday, May 9, 2026, for the annual Scout-O-Rama San Jose event. Organized by the Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council of Scouting America, the event serves as a major gathering for the Bay Area scouting community, bringing together local troops for activities, demonstrations, and fellowship.

A large group of Scouts and adults in tan uniforms is gathered on a street at History Park in San Jose during the Scout-O-Rama event on May 9, 2026. A crowd of young and older scouts stands in formation, watching the organizers deliver a speech from the balcony of the historic Pacific Hotel building. In the background, colorful flags are visible alongside a tall metal electric light tower under a clear blue sky.
Members of the Santa Clara Valley Carvers club pose for a group photo behind their display table at the 2026 Scout-O-Rama San Jose event at History Park. Under a white canopy tent, six men (wearing a mix of Scouting uniforms, vests with merit badges, and casual clothing) stand and sit behind a table covered with handcrafted wooden items, including totem poles, animal figurines, toys, and carving tools. A wooden sign on the left of the table reads "Santa Clara Valley Carvers," and a blue award ribbon rests on the tablecloth. The background shows a large tree trunk and a white building at History Park.

The Santa Clara Valley Carvers (SCVC), Chapter #1 of the California Carvers Guild, maintained a prominent presence at the park. Our woodcarving booth served as a hub of creativity amid the bustling festival. Members of the club, including Dan Brady, Dave Osterlund, David Clarke, Mike Campi, Nitin Varshney, Roman Chernikov, and Xiaohan Ma, volunteered their time to demonstrate the art of woodcarving, chip carving, and whittling. They answered questions from curious scouts and parents, showcasing the patience and skill required for the craft.

At the Scout-O-Rama event at History Park, members of the Santa Clara Valley Carvers demonstrate the craft of woodcarving at an outdoor booth. Three men (Roman Chernikov, David Osterlund, and Mike Campi) sit behind a table covered in a brown cloth, which is filled with various small wooden carvings, figurines, and tools. One carver, Roman, gestures with his hand while talking to a woman in a white shirt and hat, and a child wearing a brown scout vest. A carved wooden sign on the right side of the table reads "Santa Clara Valley Carvers Chapter 1, California Carvers Guild." In the background, other tents, flags, and attendees are visible under sunny skies.
SCVC woodcarving booth at Scout-O-Rama, 2026
At an outdoor event called Scout-O-Rama held at History Park in San Jose, members of the Santa Clara Valley Carvers manage a booth filled with wooden crafts. In the foreground, a table covered in a brown cloth displays an extensive collection of woodcarvings, including chess pieces, small animal figurines, and turning tools. A large, ornate wooden sign on the right identifies the group as "Santa Clara Valley Carvers, Chapter #1 of California Carvers Guild". Three men (David, Dave, and Mike) sit behind the table, demonstrating woodcarving. They are interacting with a young woman with long blonde hair wearing a tan scout uniform, who is browsing the items. To the left, another scout in uniform stands with their back to the camera. In the background, beneath a canopy, a string of international flags hangs above other attendees and scouts, including a green circular sign with Vietnamese text, indicating a multicultural gathering.
Four men pose at an outdoor booth for the Santa Clara Valley Carvers during a Scout-O-Rama event. Three men sit at a table covered with various woodcarvings, including totem poles, small animals, and wooden toys, while a fourth man stands behind them, waving. A large wooden sign on the right reads "Santa Clara Valley Carvers Chapter #1 California Carvers Guild." The man on the far right (Mike Campi) wears a tan scout leader uniform, and the man standing (Roman Chernikov) wears a blue vest with woodcarving enamel pins. Two other volunteers are David Clarke and David Osterlund.
Left to right: David Clarke, Roman Chernikov, David Osterlund, Mike Campi

Carvings and Creations

The display table featured a variety of woodcarving projects to inspire the next generation. David Osterlund presented a collection of neckerchief slides, each uniquely carved with themes ranging from Native American headdresses and tomahawks to wolves and bison skulls. Nearby, hand-carved Pinewood Derby cars carved by Dan Brady drew attention, featuring custom designs including a stylized fox and abstract layered shapes.

Three hand-carved wooden toy Pinewood Derby vehicles with black wheels are lined up diagonally on a brown surface. All vehicles are carved from pine by Dan Brady. The vehicle on the far left is stained dark. In the middle, a light-colored natural wood vehicle features a layered, abstract shape. The vehicle on the right is painted bright red with white ears and a snout, resembling a fox. These custom woodcarvings were displayed at the woodcarving booth at Scout-O-Rama San Jose in May 2026.
Pinewood Derby by Dan Brady
A collection of colorful scout neckerchiefs lay out on a table, each adorned with a unique hand-carved wooden neckerchief slide. The carvings feature a Native American headdress, a tomahawk, a wolf head, a perched owl, a fish, a bison skull, and others. In the bottom right corner, a circular patch reads "Scout-O-Rama" and "World of Scouting History Park San Jose." These wooden items were carved by David Osterlund.
Neckerchief slides by David Osterlund
At the Scout-O-Rama event held at History Park in San Jose on May 9, 2026, members of the Santa Clara Valley Carvers demonstrate woodcarving. Three men sit behind a table covered in wooden figurines, animals, and ribbons. The man on the left (Roman Chernikov) wears a blue vest with patches, the man in the center (David Osterlrund) wears a denim vest, and the man on the right (Mike Campi) is in a Scouting uniform. Behind them stands a large mascot (from Gilroy Gardens) shaped like a garlic bulb wearing sunglasses. A wooden sign on the table identifies the group as "Santa Clara Valley Carvers Chapter #1 California Carvers Guild."

Adding a touch of local character to the booth, a large garlic bulb mascot from Gilroy Gardens made an appearance, posing for photos with scouts and club members. The mascot’s presence bridged the gap between the historic craft of woodcarving and the vibrant community culture of the South Bay.

Beyond the Booth at History Park, San Jose

While the carvers were busy at their table, the rest of History Park offered a rich tapestry of activities. The grounds hosted a toy train show by the Golden State Toy Train Operators, featuring detailed miniature towns and a steam locomotive display. History Park’s own permanent exhibits were in full view, including the Southern Pacific 1215 steam locomotive and a vintage steam traction engine.

A detailed model train display at the Scout-O-Rama toy train show featuring a black steam locomotive pulling a long line of freight cars along a track on the right. To the left of the tracks is a miniature town scene including a gas station, an orange warehouse with workers loading crates near a red dump truck, and a building in the immediate foreground displaying a "Jack's Dog Food" sign. The scene was part of the toy train show organized by Golden State Toy Train Operators at Scout-O-Rama San Jose in May 2026.
Toy Train Show at History Park, San Jose, CA
A vintage black steam locomotive, Southern Pacific 1215, is parked on a railway track under a clear blue sky at History Park, San Jose, CA. The large tender attached to the back features the text "SOUTHERN PACIFIC LINES" in white capital letters along its side.
Southern Pacific 1215 steam locomotive
A vintage steam traction engine is displayed outdoors at History Park in San Jose, CA. The machine features a tall black smokestack, a cylindrical black boiler, and large, bright orange spoked wheels. A green canopy covers the top of the engine, and an informational placard stands on an easel in the foreground. The image was captured during the Scout-O-Rama San Jose event in May 2026.
Steam Traction Engine at History Park

Visitors also explored the Viet Museum, with its distinctive Victorian architecture and displays of traditional wooden vessels. For the younger scouts, there was plenty of action with a climbing wall challenge and opportunities to explore historic buildings like the Pacific Hotel.

Two dancers in traditional Mexican attire perform outdoors at the Scout-O-Rama San Jose event. A man in a sombrero and charro suit dances beside a woman who is twirling, causing her bright blue dress with multi-colored rainbow ruffles to flare out wide. Spectators sit on chairs in the background watching the performance.
At an outdoor Scout-O-Rama event on a sunny day, a tall wooden climbing wall with colorful handholds stands on a grassy lawn. Two scouts in tan uniforms and hats stand near the base of the wall, while a small child in a green shirt and a large blue sun hat looks up at it. To the right, an adult wearing a pink shirt and a black hat carries a young girl in a purple shirt who is also looking toward the activity. In the background, white and blue event tents are set up on the grass. Scout-O-Rama is a family-friendly annual event that serves as a major gathering for local scouts in the Bay Area.
Outdoors at History Park, the yellow Victorian-style Viet Museum stands behind a display of wooden vessels. In the foreground, a large brown boat labeled "CA MAU" and "TAN PHAT" sits next to a smaller red boat marked "HUE," a round woven basket boat, and a tall, painted wooden post. The museum porch features an American flag and a flag of the Republic of Vietnam under a clear blue sky.
Viet Museum at History Park, San Jose

The atmosphere was punctuated by live music and ethnic dancing, with performers in traditional attire adding color and rhythm to the sunny afternoon (for more details, see Cashion Cultural Legacy and Greene Academy of Irish Dance). Food trucks lined the paved paths, providing a place for families to rest and refuel.

A live band performs on a paved area during the Scout-O-Rama San Jose event at History Park in San Jose, CA, on May 9, 2026. Six musicians, including guitarists, vocalists, and a drummer, are playing instruments surrounded by speakers and amplifiers. In the background, crowds of people walk past white-and-blue vendor tents set up on the grass beneath large trees.
A sunny outdoor scene featuring a lineup of food trucks and vendors at the Scout-O-Rama event at History Park in San Jose, CA. In the foreground on the left is a blue ice cream tent. Beside it is a large orange food truck for "Smash Stack'd Burgers." Several people, including scouts in khaki uniforms, are walking and standing along the paved area in front of the vendors, with trees visible in the background.

Looking Ahead for Scout-O-Rama San Jose 2027

The Scout-O-Rama remains a cornerstone event for local scouting, and the Santa Clara Valley Carvers look forward to continuing their tradition of participation. For those interested in seeing the displays or attending the next gathering, the next Scout-O-Rama San Jose at History Park is scheduled for May 8, 2027. Review our calendar to find other events where our club will demonstrate woodcarving, whittling, and chip carving.

Scout-O-Rama 2025, San Jose, CA
Scout-O-Rama, San Jose, 2025
Toy train with passengers at Maker Faire at Mare Island, Vallejo, CA
Maker Faire Bay Area, 2025
A picture contains a Wood Carving Merit Badge, a small carving knife, and a round carving with the Santa Clara Valley Carvers club acronym.
Wood Carving Merit Badge for Scouts
Street Scene Gas Station at the History Park, San Jose.
Cars in the Park at History Park, San Jose

If you liked our Scout-O-Rama recap, please comment here. We look forward to hearing your thoughts.

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