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Parade winners to get cash prizes

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Albany News

By Donnie A. Lucas

The call is being sent out this week to local individuals, families, and organizations to help keep the tradition of the annual Fort Griffin Fandangle parade alive and well.

With just over a week remaining before the Saturday, June 18 event, very few entries or sponsors have signed up.

“We don’t have any Fandangle-themed floats so far,” co-chairman Ragan Riley said. “There have been some tractors and horse riding groups sign up, but not much else.”

The parade is scheduled to roll down Main Street at 5:00 p.m.

There is no cost to sign up for the parade, and cash prizes will be handed out in several categories.

Anyone interested in participating can fill out an entry form at the Fandangle office, and sponsors are also being sought to provide funding for prize money and trophies.

“If the community wants to keep the parade going, we are going to need some help,” Riley said. “We are hoping to have a better response this week, but time is running out. We need to know who is entering by Monday or so next week in order to organize the line-up.”
Awards will be handed out to first through third place winners in several categories, with cash prizes given in several including Best Fandangle Themed Float, Best Horse Troupe (at least three riders), Best Classic Car, and Best ‘Western’ Ride (buggies, wagons, prairie schooners, etc).

Other categories include Most Authentic, Best Horseman, Most Creative, Judges Choice, Loudest Entry (car horns and sirens not included), Best Horse, Best Classic Car we would like to own, and Best Single Person entry.

Winners will be announced at the Prairie Theater shortly before the start of the Saturday evening performance.

Entrants are asked to line up on Griffin Road near Nancy Smith Elementary School at 4:30 p.m. Each entry needs to check in with either Riley or co-chairman Shannon Leech on arrival to be given instructions on where to line up and be assigned a parade number sign that the judges will use.

The parade will travel down Main Street, circle the Courthouse, and return to the starting point.

Sponsors Needed

Riley said that more sponsors are needed to help fund the event.

“We only have three or four signed up so far, and last year we had twice that many at this point,” she said.

Sponsors are asked to contact the Fandangle office or drop by to sign up.

For more information about entering the parade or becoming a sponsor, contact Riley via email at rriley@resourcecare.org or call the Fandangle office at 325-762-3838.