According to the festival’s website at www.HeritageofFlight.com, this year’s parade is going to be the biggest yet.
As a former band member, I have a love/hate relationship with parades. Blisters and hours of watching someone’s back have something to do with it.
But from a curbside viewpoint, I love a parade that offers something wildly different. If I drag a chair out to the curb, I want to be entertained.
My favorite parade has always been the infamous Pasadena Doo Dah Parade, which featured a lawn mower drill team call Toro Toro Toro and the spectators threw tortillas that covered the road. So you know I’m picky.
I remember when I covered the first of the New Carlisle airplane parades. At 2 a.m. armed with chainsaws and hedge trimmers, the planners pulled the largest of the private planes up and down the parade route in the dark of night to make sure tree limbs did not block the way.
I just knew this was going to be the start of something wonderful. And I was not disappointed.
Each year the parade has added so many different units that it has grown into an entertaining full hour of fun.
I found it hard to believe that the parade could be even bigger as the website claimed, but a conversation with Sally Raiteri, parade chairman, convinced me that it will be spectacular.
On Saturday in New Carlisle, spectators will see 20 airplanes being pulled down the middle of streets by antique tractors.
Joining them will be Gem and Heater from the Dayton Dragons, the Corvette Club and all the Shriners units from the area.
All of them. Really.
“It’s a Potentate Call, so they will all be here,” said Raiteri.
Tecumseh High School will be represented by the AFROTC drill team, the homecoming court, and its marching band. (Beware of blisters.) Between all this will be troops of boy scouts, athletes, businesses and, of course, local politicians.
This parade will be well worth staking out a section of curb in advance to watch.
It is important to note that the parade is just a small portion of a festival that is truly three days of fun. A huge classic car show starts the weekend off late Friday afternoon. One new feature is an auto accessory auction scheduled during the band breaks on Friday evening.
President Mike Lowrey is hoping that this just might be the year that the tethered hot air balloon lifts will finally take place at the airport.
“We’ve tried several times, but the weather didn’t cooperate,” said Lowrey.
According to Lowrey, OSU football and other sports fans won’t have to leave the festival to watch their favorite games. A huge screen in the Beer and Brat Hanger will be showing the big games of the weekend.
And on top of all the non-stop entertainment, there are some wonderful food booths and stands that will fill your belly.
My mouth has been watering ever since Olive Boyd from Honey Creek Presbyterian told me about how many hours she spent making homemade noodles for their chicken and noodles supper on Friday and Saturday evening. I can’t wait.
The Heritage of Flight Festival and Parade is a great way to start of one of our favorite months of the year in Ohio. Enjoy!
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