When Lucy McAllister moved to Afton in 1973, the city hadn’t had a Fourth of July parade since “the ladies wore long dresses,” she said.

The American Revolution Bicentennial Administration that same year sent out guidelines to city officials around the country describing how their cities could gather to celebrate the nation’s 200th birthday in 1976, said McAllister, who was appointed chairwoman of the Afton Bicentennial Committee by then-Mayor Don Scheel.

“There were three key themes: heritage, festivals and horizons,” said McAllister, 87. “One of the suggestions under ‘festivals’ was to hold a parade. I knew we wanted a parade. When we reviewed the suggestions, everyone agreed, ‘Oh, yeah, we ought to have one.’”

McAllister, a flutist, also came up with the idea of having a town band perform in the parade. The Afton Schooner Band, which plays “John Philip Sousa-type marches,” started with the 1975 “Dress Rehearsal Parade” for the 1976 Bicentennial Parade; Vice President Walter Mondale was the grand marshal in 1976, she said.

“Some of the first people to come to Afton came in horse-drawn wagons. They were called ‘prairie schooners,’” McAllister said. “We had to have a wagon because so many of us were too old to march. That’s how we came up with the Schooner Band.”

The Afton Parade Committee has selected McAllister to serve as this year’s grand marshal.

“I was really surprised by the invitation, but I am going to enjoy it,” McAllister said. “Years ago, the grand marshal rode in a horse and buggy, but I think I’ll be in a convertible.”

‘Because of Lucy’

McAllister spent her career working in art education; her husband, Loring McAllister, worked in mental health. Over the years, the couple hosted 13 foreign-exchange students at their home in Afton and became volunteers in various community projects.

McAllister was an obvious choice for the honor, said Afton City Council Member Stan Ross, who serves as chairman of Afton’s Fourth of July Parade committee. “Because of Lucy’s efforts, the parade was a great success and remains an important tradition for Afton,” he said.

The parade, which attracts thousands of spectators, starts at 1 p.m. Friday. People wanting a good view of the parade — which starts on the north end of town, travels south for about three-quarters of a mile, turns around and comes back — are expected to start claiming spaces along St. Croix Trail on Thursday night, Ross said.

This year’s volunteer band is the biggest yet, McAllister said.

“It’s just really a surprise,” she said. “The group that I had last year included people who are savvy with social messaging, so they actually did some of the recruiting. I was floored when I kept getting phone calls and emails from people wanting to join.”

Rehearsals have started, but it’s not too late to join, she said, particularly if you play the bassoon or oboe.

“A bassoon and an oboe, that would be wonderful,” McAllister said. “We have so many people this year that they are not all going to fit on the wagon anyway, so they’ll be walking along the side. It’s a little tricky since the parade passes by itself. We’ll have to figure out if we want people on both sides, or just one side.”

McAllister said she plans to convene the band around 10:30 a.m. Friday, lead the last rehearsal, get the wagon decorated and then head to the start of the parade to begin her grand-marshal duties. “I will probably be holding my flute in my hand,” she said.

For the record, this isn’t the first time McAllister has been tapped to be grand marshal.

“I turned it down a couple of years ago,” she said. “I wanted to ride on the band wagon.”