Travellers Day Parade marks 70th anniversary
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
We need your support!
Local journalism needs your support!
As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed.
Now, more than ever, we need your support.
Starting at $15.99 plus taxes every four weeks you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website.
Subscribe Nowor call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527.
Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community!
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Brandon Sun access to your Free Press subscription for only an additional
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on brandonsun.com
- Read the Brandon Sun E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
*Your next Free Press subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $20.95 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.95 plus GST every four weeks.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
Brandon residents are being invited to line the streets this morning as the Travellers Day Parade celebrates its 70th anniversary.
The parade, organized by the Travellers Day Parade Association, begins at 11 a.m. and features several entries, including four marching bands, community organizations, businesses and service clubs.
Secretary-treasurer Norm Joss, who attended the second edition of the parade in 1956, said the parade was originally established the previous year to support Brandon’s summer fair and draw visitors to the exhibition grounds.
“The event was initially organized by two local service clubs — the United Commercial Travellers and the Associated Commercial Travellers,” he told the Sun.
The parade will begin at Sixth Street and Rosser Avenue before making its way south on 13th Street and ending near the fairgrounds at Queens Avenue and 10th Street, he said.
Among this year’s participants will be the El Salvador Pavilion, making its first-ever appearance in the parade.
The parade continues to rely entirely on volunteers and does not charge participants an entry fee. While businesses and service organizations remain well represented, Joss said participation from youth groups has declined over the years.
“It used to be you’d have kids’ baseball teams, Girl Guides and that sort of thing,” he said. “There’s not as much of that anymore because a lot of times the kids are busy on weekends when they have their activities.”
Despite that trend, organizers say the event remains popular. Last year’s parade featured about 65 entries, and Joss said organizers were still receiving registrations as of Friday.
“We’re probably at about 58 or 59 right now, but usually entries come right up until tonight,” he said. “Sometimes they just show up at the marshalling site and ask to come into the parade.”
The parade has a capacity for as many as 90 to 100 entries, he said.
Joss said the parade faces competition from other community events, including Brandon’s Santa Claus Parade, which attracted about 62 floats last year.
“It’s a friendly competition, and it works out really well,” he said.
Residents are encouraged to arrive early to secure parking and viewing spots along the route.
“The public is more than welcome to come out,” Joss said. “There’s plenty of room all the way along the route, but they might want to get there a little bit early to make sure they can get their cars parked.”
» aodutola@brandonsun.com
» X: @AbiolaOdutola