Plans for Apple Butter Festival Parade being finalized

Area bands, local businesses, community organizations, and individuals will be busy this week making their final preparations for the 34th annual Apple Butter Festival parade, which kicks off the festival activities on October 6.

Parade organizers are pleased with the variety of entries this year, including the addition of a few more marching bands. "The parade is coming together nicely. We are excited about it," said Nancy Sostaric, chairperson of the Apple Butter Festival Parade Committee. "It should be enjoyable for local residents as well as visitors."

Letters will be sent to all parade participants this week, informing them of the parade logistics as well as their parade line-up number, Sostaric said. If a group or individual sent in a parade application and doesn't receive a letter in the next week, they should call her at 258-8890.

The theme for this year's parade is "Celebrate Diversity." Awards will be given for best parade theme, best auto, best drill team, best band, best walking unit, best float, best fire unit, best rescue unit, best children's entry, and best business entry, as well as best in parade.