Whatever you do, don’t let a small thing like an entry deadline prevent you from participating in the Daybreak Rotary Stampede Parade this Saturday.
The entry deadline passed on Monday with 51 entries signed up but entry deadlines don’t seem to mean much when it comes to a parade.
Parade committee member Lori Macala says they usually get another 40 or 50 entries in the week leading up to the parade.
Parade marshal Ron Malmas agrees the deadline doesn’t seem to mean much when it comes to a parade.
“Parade entries are always welcome,” Malmas says.
“We even take them Saturday morning,” Malmas says with a chuckle. “Every year we get about 10 late entries on Saturday morning.”
The parade theme this year is Be a Gift to the World: A Tribute to Volunteers.
In keeping with that theme the parade has not one but two honorary parade marshals, Jim Byer and Peter James who will ride in vehicles provided by the Lakers Car Club with their spouses.
Byer is a long-time director with the Stampede Association and co-ordinating director on the project with Durfeld Log Construction and Wood Tick Construction in the redevelopment of the infield grandstand and box seating/announcers stand.
Peter James is the Daybreak Rotarian who pushed to have the club take on the job of organizing the Stampede Parade 10 years ago and will be honoured as Parade Peter, Malmas says.
Soon after Daybreak Rotary took over organizing the parade, he says the club members gave James a vest with the nickname Parade Peter on it.
“It’s hard to believe we have been doing this for 10 years,” Malmas says.
So far Macala says some entries include 15 vintage and classic cars, a group from Billy Barker Days, the Williams Lake Pipe Band and Community Band, Cariboo Cowgirls Drill Team, a group of about 40 Xeni Gwet’in riders, Joan Gentles in beautiful beaded regalia, the Stampeders Hockey Club, Puddle Pounders Roller Derby girls, about 22 cadets and 20 Scouts, Stampede Royalty, and Pioneer Log Homes with stars from the Timber Kings.
Joan Oliver and her group of clowns will also be back.
Macala says 10 Rotary District 50/40 exchange students from all over the world will also be participating in the parade.
Malmas says the parade will start this year with a fly-over by the Springhouse Flying Club members and if all goes according to plan, fliers from the SkyFest Quesnel International Air Show.
“It’s going to be fun,” Malmas says. “We try to keep it as exciting and fun for the community as we can.”
Judging will also be done a little differently this year, Malmas says.
There will be preliminary judging while entrants are lining up to start the parade but the final judging will be done during the parade.
The judges will be set up near the beginning of the parade route at the corner of Fourth Avenue and Borland Street.
That way entrants will still be fresh and can give it their best shot whether dancing, playing music or performing in other ways.
Malmas says the new plan also saves about an hour of time for volunteers and entrants in the morning before the parade starts.
A reminder that entrants register at the corner of Comer Street and Second Avenue between 7 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. for pre-judging which starts at 9 a.m.
The parade begins at 10 a.m. and winds up about noon.