Blackfoot Morning News - Annual parade kicks off state fair

BLACKFOOT — More than 100 entries comprising floats, horses and vehicles opened the 2008 Eastern Idaho State Fair Saturday morning. Hundreds of spectators from Blackfoot and beyond gathered along the edges of Shilling Avenue to watch the annual parade run from Rich Street to East Alice Street.

   Leading the parade was representatives from the National Guard Armory, whose flags brought the crowd to a standing position. EISF Grand Marshal Jerry Hong followed shortly after, officially ushering the coming attractions. Charley Hopkins, known locally for announcing Blackfoot High School sporting events, introduced the entries passing by.
   A number of current politicians as well as those seeking votes for the 2008 election waved to the crowd and distributed candy and literature.
   According to EISF Parade Chair Amy Gough, judges evaluated parade entries from five categories: automobile, dance, float, horse and school. Criteria included neatness, spirit and effective use of the fair’s theme. The first-place winners received $100, and the second-place winners got $50. A special mayor’s prize of $300 was awarded too.
   Dennis James won for automobile, the Downtown Dance Studio won for dance, the Conservatory of Ballet and Theatrical Arts won for float, Eva Bronco won for horse — despite a pre-parade injury in which the horse knocked her off — and the Blackfoot Charter School won for school.
   The winner of the mayor’s prize was Boy Scout Troop 262, whose entry was a campsite scene complete with tents, trees and boys pretending to be fishing and roasting marshmallows.
   Rachel Baskom of Aberdeen said she comes to the parade every year and sometimes makes it to the fair too. Her favorite entry from 2008’s parade was the gymnasts who launched themselves and did flips from a moving trampoline.
   Randy Mayer was a newcomer to the parade but has attended the fair for 45 years while traveling from St. Louis to visit family. He moved to the area about a year and a half ago. His favorite entry Saturday was the pipe and drum group.
   Gough said 2008’s parade was “the smoothest year we’ve ever had.”

Last Updated ( Thursday, 04 September 2008 )