Print Version
E-mail This StoryThe Frisco Community Parade will honor the city’s veterans as it marches down Main Street Saturday, with Navy veteran and U.S. Rep. Ralph Hall serving as the grand marshal.
Annual participant Frisco VFW Post 8273 is expecting to fit 30 veterans on its float this year, which will be led by boy scouts serving as flag guards. The display will also include members of the National Guard in fatigues.
VFW Post 8273 Commander Lee Myrben said that he appreciates the city’s effort to honor veterans during the parade.
“I’m thankful we can be recognized for what part we did play [in protecting the country],” Myrben said.
A Maxx Pro Dash, a military vehicle used in Iraq and Afghanistan, will also be part of the parade. These tough vehicles are known as Mine Resistent Ambush Protected and are responsible for keeping soldiers safe overseas.
More than 100 groups and organizations participated in last year’s parade, and organizers are expecting as many or more this year. A $1,000 cash prize will be awarded to the best school float, with smaller pots for the second- and third- place winners.
Schools will compete for a trophy to honor the best float at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. Next year they may attempt to defend their title or lose the trophy if another school makes a better float.
The community parade is held in place of separate homecoming parades for the four FISD high schools, and it allows students to express their school pride and support all of Frisco at the same time.
“The great thing about the community parade is it brings all of the kids together from Frisco and gets them all involved in one parade,” organizer and former Mayor Mike Simpson said. “They can rekindle some friendships and everybody gets to promote the spirit for their individual school, but doing it while they’re still all Frisco.”
The parade will begin at 11 a.m. at the southeast corner of Pizza Hut Park and travel east on Main Street to end at North County Road. U.S. Rep. Ralph Hall will serve as the grand marshal.
New this year, a stage will be set up near Main and Fourth streets with an announcer who will introduce and provide commentary on the parade participants. City officials and other guests are also expected to make an appearance on the stage.
“We’ll be recognizing and commenting on the various floats, bands, and military organizations,” Simpson said. “The commentary will let people know [about the participants.]”
He said that a bigger parade planning committee has generated many hours of planning have led to fresh new ideas that could be seen by a crowd upwards of 10,000 people.
“We think it’s going to be a great parade,” Simpson said.
Visit www.FriscoParade.com for information.
