Primed for a parade
Organizers seek participation to return Summerside Lobster Carnival parade to its former glory.
Remember the anticipation and excitement that the Summerside Lobster Carnival parade day evoked in people of all ages?
The parade kicked of the carnival, Summerside’s primary festival since 1956, and people flocked to the streets to see what creative masterpieces area businesses and organizations had conjured up to celebrate community spirit and pride.
It is that spirit that Culture Summerside, tasked with presenting the 2017 carnival, wants to galvanize in the community for this parade edition.
Shortly after taking over responsibility for the 2017 edition of the carnival, Culture Summerside discovered that public opinion felt the parade was a must and, with a few changes, would again inspire people to embrace their creativity and sign up with an entry.
The number one suggestion for revitalizing the parade was to move it to Saturday, so that more businesses and community organizations could participate with an entry and more people could attend, especially as a family unit.
Thus the parade is set for noon, Saturday, July 15, the final day of the three day festival, which will conclude with the running of the Governor’s Plate harness race.
The parade route will also reflect earlier days in that it will cover the downtown business area and then move into the historic residential area as it makes its way to the carnival grounds at Credit Union Place, 511 Notre Dame Street.
In order to give full rein to people’s creativity, the 2017 parade is not themed.
“People can celebrate lobster, harness racing, Canada’s 150 birthday, satire, community pride etc; the themes are endless,” said Lori Ellis, manager of Culture Summerside.
Ellis said she realizes it can be expensive to create elaborate floats, and if that is out of reach, she encourages people to get creative and look at other avenues such as floats built in the back of truck beds, cardboard costumes, boat floats, group masquerade entries, motorized armchairs, bathtubs, inflatables, musical performances, and whatever else the mind can imagine as long as it is family oriented.
There is no entry fee for the parade.
Runners participating in the Trilobster Triathlon, will start off the parade on July 15th as they run a three-kilometre charity run for the Summerside Boys and Girls Club. They will be dressed in costume. Anyone wanting to enter the parade can do so by going to: www.summersidelobstercarnival.website.
Ellis said she is, “counting on strong community involvement to make the parade an event that creates lasting memories like days of old.”