GLEN ARBOR, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – For 60 years the Glen Arbor parade has marched through the city, getting larger every year. Walkers, bikers, classic cars, buses, military vehicles, flag wavers, emergency vehicles, tractors, floats and bands entertain the crowds during the city’s yearly parade. But this year will be a bit different for several reasons.
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Besides the parade not including it’s namesake, Stan Brubaker, because he passed away in March at the age of 95, the parade will also be a bit different because of complaints from last year.
The Leelanau Ticker reports that the newly-named “Stan Brubaker Celebrate America 4th of July Parade” will not be as loose with the rules as it once was. While the parade entries can be of the “anything goes” variety, the behavior of the parade participants will be more under check this year.
After some of the 1000+ crowd members lodged complaints last year, the parade organizers had to put their foot down. The parade has now banned the use of water guns by parade participants. In addition to that the organizers say that volunteers sweeping the candy tossed out to parade-goers will be more “diligent” in helping to keep parade watchers out of the street.
John DePuy, who is taking Brubaker’s place lining up the parade participants says that they want everyone in the crowd to have fun but they don’t want anyone getting hurt. He says, “There were a lot of complaints last year about water guns, super-soakers, water balloons. The last couple years it’s gotten worse. It’s just being responsible. Parents called me last year about how dangerous it is, and (about) getting wet. We put an ad in the paper about refraining from water (guns).”
Yellow caution tape and cones will also be in sight, discourage people from running into the street as well with the 15 or so “broom crew” to push any wayward candy towards the kids waiting anxiously on the curbs.
Although most say that this year’s parade is the 60th one, it’s actually the 61st if you count Brubaker being in the parade alone during the 2020 pandemic, riding through town on a firetruck.
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With the pandemic over and things going back to normal, summer is fun again with festivals and parades – even it that means no water balloons.
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