The Stampede Parade is coming up this Saturday, July 2 and a few more volunteers are still needed to help with manning the barricades, says parade marshal Nancy Gale.
While the deadline for entries passed on June 17, she says the parade committee will keep right on accepting registrations up until the day of the parade.
Gale says she has taken this week off work as Child Development Centre manager but will be in her office working on the parade.
Anyone who has a bit of time to volunteer or has a late parade entry can give her a call at 250-392-4489, local 2056, or on her cell at 250-305-8434.
“We are really short on people to man the barricades,” Gale says.
She says there were 65 parade entries as of Friday, which is about on par with other years because people typically register their entries late.
By next week Gale says late entries will push the number to more than 100.
There are all sorts of entry categories for children and adults from bands, floats, equine, youth, automotive and mascots.
The parade theme this year is Round Up 2011 and there is a $500 prize for the entry most in keeping with the theme.
“We wanted to stay closer to the Stampede theme this year,” Gale says of the round-up theme, and the idea of Stampede brings people together for a good time at the city’s major event of the year.
Gale says the parade committee is also working with the business association to see if they can get a few more musical entries.
Volunteers are available with trucks and flat deck trailers if a band or musical group wishes to perform in the parade.
Honorary parade marshal Jimmy Lulua will be mounted on horseback this year with the riders and wagons making the trek to the rodeo on horseback and by wagon.
Gale says there are all kinds of entries already lined up for the parade — Shriners, Stone Warriors hockey team, Stampede, Quesnel and Kitsap royalty, Miss Rodeo Canada Princess Kirsten Braumandl, Cariboo MLA Donna Barnett, and Cowboy Hall of Fame inductees.
Gale is also looking to establish a place downtown for parking for seniors and disabled people.
Dale Taylor will be the parade announcer and Shaw Cable will be filming the parade for people who are unable to attend.
Gale says there are usually more than 1,000 people participating in the parade, plus about 200 volunteer helpers and more than 10,000 spectators lined up along the route.
“It’s lots of fun,” Gale says.
The parade starts at 10 a.m. Saturday morning, July 2. Entrants assemble at 7 a.m. for judging which starts at 8 a.m.
Horse entries gather at the Cariboo Memorial Complex parking lot.
Other entries check in at Comer Street and Second Avenue and will line up for the parade on Second, Third, and Fourth avenues and, if need be, Fifth Avenue.