Without These Folks, There’d Be No Waterland Parade; Plus Some More Details…

Photo courtesy Des Moines Historical Society

by Janet Grella

As most people know, this Saturday (July 18th) will be the “big” birthday day for Des Moines, with celebrations from morning to night, culminating in The Waterland Parade (a sanctioned Seafair event), but not without an immense amount of work on the part of a group of very hardworking volunteers.

I was pleased to join their last meeting on July 15th as they efficiently and effectively tied up all loose ends.

The committee is chaired by Waterland Parade vetern Anna Bjorneby and co-chaired by a very capable Fran Woodward. Other volunteer committee members include BJ Bjorneby, Lila Thomsen, Donna Hake, KB Beisle, Jerry & Cathy Reese, Pat Nardo, Jack Kniskern, Joel Girouard and Joe Spears.

DECORATING DES MOINES:
While most of us are enjoying our day at the Marina with all the birthday activities and the Farmers Market, Joel Giroudard and his band of merry balloon artists will be creating magical balloon arches and decorating the reviewing stand, located on Marine View Drive across from EC Computers.

STAGING:
Parade participants should gather at the main parking lot at Highline Community College off 240th at 4pm. There will be signage and balloons directing participants to the staging area. Staging experts from the Seafair Marshalls as well as Lila Thomsen and her group of local volunteers will help assemble the parade participants for their trek down 240th to Marine View Drive!

KIDS PARADE:
The parade will start with the Junior Parade at 5:30. Anybody under the age of 14 can join the fun! There is no pre-registration for this event. Participants should meet in front of Vickie Bergquitst’s State Farm Insurance office at 230th and Marine View Drive at 4:30. (Behind Taco Time). The ‘Red Robin’ from Red Robin’s restaurant will be leading the Junior Parade down Marine View Drive.

PARADE AGAINST HUNGER:
The Des Moines Food Bank will follow them, collecting much needed food and money starting at 240th at 5:45 pm. Bring your non-perishible food for them to collect.

THE WATERLAND PARADE:
The big 50th B-day parade will start promptly at 6pm. This year there are 63 entries and over 600 participants. Among the VIPs and participants will be the Seafair Pirates–batten down your hatches when they appear. Miss Seafair and the Seafair Princesses, and the Award winning surprise float built by Jerry and Cathy Resse (it won the “Best Float” in Kent’s Cornucopia Parade just last weekend). Plus you’ll see the staff of Waterland Blog live blogging and taking pictures of the crowd from their perch atop an Airport Towing tow truck. They’ll be three marching bands from Mt. Rainier, Kennedy and Sumner High Schools.

There are over 50 volunteers that will make sure this Waterland Parade go off without a hitch. From the VIP reception at Landmark on the Sound, to the volunteer “Pooper Scoopers” for the horse drawn carriage, Des Moines and its volunteer community has come together to culminate in a spectacular 50th Birthday celebration.

And a word of advice from the chairman of the Parade Committee – “If someone tells you to do something – listen to the police!”

And a final word for participants…plan a way back to the college, as the parade ends at city hall.

Our readers need to reach out to the volunteers who started this parade proccess in January of this year and thank them for a ‘job well-done.’

Sponsors of the parade should also be thanked:

• Bjorneby’s CARSTAR (a WLB Advertiser!)
• Hertz Rental Car
• Pete’s Towing
• Emerald City Balloon