The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
STEPPING IN STYLE
Rain clears for Festival of the Fish parade
Vermilion’s version of a summer luau took to the streets just as the clouds parted during the Festival of the Fish Father’s Day parade.
Fire engines led the way before dance crews and festival queens as attendees watched from lawn chairs after the rain had briefly stopped in the late morning on June 16 on Liberty Avenue.
Vermilion Chamber of Commerce executive director Sandy Coe said the weather cleared up just in time for the parade after the National Anthem was sung.
“There has to be someone watching over us today because it ended up being a beautiful parade to honor fathers,” she said.
Coe said the parade included 64 units.
The parade lasts about 20 to 30 minutes every year.
“I came up just for the festival this weekend.”
— Roger Stacey, 56, of Charlotte, N.C.
Additionally, the parade is the first marched in by Vermilion’s festival royalty.
It also allows the city to invite visiting royalties from other communities and festivals.
“This is their first parade they march in so it’s highly important to them and we get a lot of visiting royalties,” Coe said.
The parade was on the last day of the 53rd annual festival, held from June 14 to 16, and provided a variety of live entertainment
and contests.
For example, the Vermilion Firefighters water fight took place directly after the parade in front of Fire Station No. 1 at 5467 Ohio St.
Brett Dickey, 56, of Vermilion said he thought the parade was a success.
“I thought it went well, especially considering the weather,” he said.
Roger Stacey, 56, of Charlotte, N.C. said that he grew up in Vermilion and that the festival provides a good time to see his hometown and old friends again.
“I came up just for the festival this weekend,” he said.