Fandangle Parade set for Saturday afternoon
The Fort Griffin Fandangle Parade will take place this Saturday, June 22, beginning at 5:00 p.m. and making two passes through downtown Albany. The annual event coincides with the second night of performances at the Prairie Theater.
This year’s parade marshals are Donnie and Melinda Lucas, longtime owners and publishers of The Albany News. The couple recently stepped down after decades at the helm of the local newspaper.
Entries will line up near Nancy Smith Elementary on Griffin Road at 4:00 p.m. All participants must check in with parade officials to receive an assigned number and lineup instructions. As of Tuesday, 40 entries had registered, with organizers expecting a few more to sign up later this week.
Parade prizes will be awarded in five updated categories: Best Overall, Best Float, Best Group, Best Individual, and Best Fandangle Theme. Sponsors already committed include Goodnight Steakhouse, Clear Fork Bank, and The Albany News.
Judges for this year’s event include Debby Smith of Breckenridge, wife of the late actor and stuntman Dean Smith; Debbie Jones, director of the Hardin-Simmons Six White Horses for the past 27 years; and Ginny Ivy, a 43-year veteran of the Fandangle cast. A fourth judge, Carol Dromgoole of Abilene’s Texas Star Trading Company, is still pending confirmation.
Parade chairs John Ayers, Cori Bezner, and Claire Ware continue to accept late entries. Registration is available online at www.fortgriffinfandangle.com or at the Fandangle ticket office, open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Late entries will also be accepted on parade day prior to start time.
For more information or to register, contact Ayers at (325) 668-2283, Bezner at (325) 660-1901, or Ware at (325) 262-2389.
