Festival fun kicks off with parade
Procession will go on rain or shine
The color guard leads the parade each year. Photos by EMILY CANNING-DEAN
WADSWORTH – For five glorious days in June, the community will come together to enjoy the Blue Tip Festival and it will all begin the evening of June 20 as people line up along Broad and College streets to enjoy the ever popular Blue Tip Parade.
The parade, which has been a staple for the festival for the past 40 years, is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. The procession will start at Wadsworth High School and will travel a 2.5-mile route down Broad and College streets ending at Isham Elementary School.
Crowds will line up on both sides of the street to see all of the floats, marching groups, classic cars and emergency vehicles as kids wait to collect candy and other treats.
“It’s a huge undertaking that I could not do without the help of the City of Wadsworth and the local Rotary Club that helps me line up the units in the proper order,” said Tom Morris, of the Blue Tip Committee, who has been in charge of the parade for the last decade. “We are excited to have Serpentini Chevrolet and Buick of Orrville as our major sponsors of the parade, and provide a ride for the Grand Marshal.”
This year’s grand marshals will be Gene Kovack and Joe Gabrosek, hosts of the “Polka Time Again” show on WCTV.
As always, the color guard, the Wadsworth High School marching band and the WHS cheerleaders will be in the front of the procession. As the parade enters the area near the gazebo, the procession will stop as the grand marshals get out to light the giant Blue Tip match that will be set up at the gazebo island. Because the match is so tall, one of the grand marshals will have to be elevated in a cherry picker to light the flame.
Morris said he expects more than 100 units to participate in the parade, adding that by late May there were already 97 signed up to participate.
“I would expect to see some of the favorites again this year including high school bands, jugglers and firetrucks, but every year there is always something new and fresh,” he said. “This year we have some organizations celebrating some important milestones and new local businesses that will be participating for the first time.”
Morris asks that parents be mindful of children and prevent them from running into the streets.
“There is always plenty of candy and treats given by those in the parade and the participants are instructed to hand them out at the curb,” he said.
Also, anyone who is concerned about the noise of sirens from emergency vehicles will likely want to stand between Sacred Heart School and Kyle Street during the parade. This area is a quiet zone and the vehicles will not be sounding the sirens.
Morris added that anyone who wants to hear descriptions of the parade units and see the lighting of the Blue Tip match should congregate near the square. A grandstand will be set up in the center of town and one of the committee members will be announcing each unit as it comes by offering a description.
Also, three judges from the All-American Judge’s Association will be on hand giving awards for the best units.
Parade goers looking for a snack will also have some options near the square. Swenson’s, Twisted Pretzel and Happy Hour Kettle Corn trucks will be set up in the parking lot behind the Valley Café.
The festival will be open until 11 p.m. all week, so anyone ready to enjoy carnival rides, games and other treats can head to the festival grounds right after the parade.
The parade, which has been a staple for the festival for the past 40 years, is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. The procession will start at Wadsworth High School and will travel a 2.5-mile route down Broad and College streets ending at Isham Elementary School.
Crowds will line up on both sides of the street to see all of the floats, marching groups, classic cars and emergency vehicles as kids wait to collect candy and other treats.
“It’s a huge undertaking that I could not do without the help of the City of Wadsworth and the local Rotary Club that helps me line up the units in the proper order,” said Tom Morris, of the Blue Tip Committee, who has been in charge of the parade for the last decade. “We are excited to have Serpentini Chevrolet and Buick of Orrville as our major sponsors of the parade, and provide a ride for the Grand Marshal.”
This year’s grand marshals will be Gene Kovack and Joe Gabrosek, hosts of the “Polka Time Again” show on WCTV.
As always, the color guard, the Wadsworth High School marching band and the WHS cheerleaders will be in the front of the procession. As the parade enters the area near the gazebo, the procession will stop as the grand marshals get out to light the giant Blue Tip match that will be set up at the gazebo island. Because the match is so tall, one of the grand marshals will have to be elevated in a cherry picker to light the flame.
Morris said he expects more than 100 units to participate in the parade, adding that by late May there were already 97 signed up to participate.
“I would expect to see some of the favorites again this year including high school bands, jugglers and firetrucks, but every year there is always something new and fresh,” he said. “This year we have some organizations celebrating some important milestones and new local businesses that will be participating for the first time.”
Morris asks that parents be mindful of children and prevent them from running into the streets.
“There is always plenty of candy and treats given by those in the parade and the participants are instructed to hand them out at the curb,” he said.
Also, anyone who is concerned about the noise of sirens from emergency vehicles will likely want to stand between Sacred Heart School and Kyle Street during the parade. This area is a quiet zone and the vehicles will not be sounding the sirens.
Morris added that anyone who wants to hear descriptions of the parade units and see the lighting of the Blue Tip match should congregate near the square. A grandstand will be set up in the center of town and one of the committee members will be announcing each unit as it comes by offering a description.
Also, three judges from the All-American Judge’s Association will be on hand giving awards for the best units.
Parade goers looking for a snack will also have some options near the square. Swenson’s, Twisted Pretzel and Happy Hour Kettle Corn trucks will be set up in the parking lot behind the Valley Café.
The festival will be open until 11 p.m. all week, so anyone ready to enjoy carnival rides, games and other treats can head to the festival grounds right after the parade.