It’s the marquee event of the Marysville Strawberry Festival. The 70th Grand Parade
commandeers State Avenue beginning at 8 p.m. Saturday.
The lighted evening parade features participants from all over the Northwest, including
many floats, bands and drill teams. It is being sponsored by North County Bank.
“This is our third year sponsoring the parade,” said North County Bank CEO Jack Myles.
“I always thought the parade in Marysville was a great community get-together.”
TV’s channel UPN 11 must agree, because once again they’ll be doing a live broadcast of
the event for their viewers.
One of the reasons the parade is so popular is that Marysville belongs to the Northwest
Festivals Hosting Association, which guarantees float participation.
“We have 22 floats coming,” said Grand Parade director Carol Kapua.
New participants, such as the community of Long Beach, are bringing a float for the first
time. The official Strawberry Festival float is based on the story of the tortoise and the
hare, and is in keeping with the festival’s racing theme of “Strawberry Thunder.”
Seven bands are appearing in the parade. The Clan Gordon Pipe Band is celebrating their
50th anniversary this year, so organizers are expecting a great performance from them.
There are also several bands appearing that have not participated in the past. Regular
parade participants such as drill teams, the Seafair Pirates and Seafair Clowns will be
back.
Continuing with the tradition of honoring community-minded local citizens with the
position of parade Grand Marshal, organizers have selected Carr’s Hardware owner and
longtime community activist Darlene Scott for the post. Scott has been volunteering with
the festival for more than 50 years.
“There’s also a President’s Marshal for this year’s parade,” Kapua added. The President’s
Marshal honor is reserved for special youngsters in the community. This year, toddler
Kailyn Zerr is being honored for her good-natured courage in battling severe health
problems. Little Kailyn, who’s story has appeared on KOMO News, was born
prematurely with collapsed lungs. Her spirit, and the spirit of her family, impressed the
Maryfest Board.
Kapua recommends arriving early to get a good spot on the parade route. A Kiddies
Parade is held prior to the main event to entertain early arrivals. After the approximately
two-hour Grand Parade, there is an aerial fireworks show.
“Fred Meyer is sponsoring the fireworks that start at 10 p.m. at the end of the parade,”
Kapua said. “People can just stay where they are when the parade ends and look up.”
Although the fireworks are visible from all along the parade route, the best viewing is
from above Third Street up to the start of the parade route at 76th Street NE. The post-
parade activity of dispersing bands and floats can be distracting to fireworks spectators in
the areas below Third Street and around the corner to Alder Avenue where the parade
route ends.
Kapua, along with parade co-chairs Sheila Thompson and Amanda Friesner, would also
like to take this opportunity to remember longtime parade organizer April Friesner, to
whom the festival is dedicated. Friesner lost her life to cancer last year.
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