BATTLEFORD - The Town of Battleford is getting ready to host its annual parade and is now accepting entries for those who wish to take part.
The theme this year is the Ruby Jubilee 40th anniversary parade.
The parade will start at 7 p.m. on Aug. 8, beginning and ending at the track behind St. Vital School in Battleford.
A fireworks display will follow later in the evening at about 10 p.m. in the open field across from Fort Battleford.
All the parade entries will line up at the St. Vital School track, and travel down Third Avenue, then go down 22 Street, to Pennydale Junction, then travel north on First Avenue, past town hall, and then down 25 Street, then travel west towards St. Vital School Track again.
Town Parks and Recreation Manager Jordan Schechtel encourages people to register their entries in the parade as early as possible.
Pre-registered entries will be judged between 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on the day of the parade.
To celebrate the Ruby Jubilee, Schechtel recommends people dress up their floats in something to honour the 40th annual anniversary date.
"Anything red and celebratory, that's sort of the theme," he said.
People planning to participate can register up until the day of the parade, but the town has set Aug. 7 as the date for everyone to get their applications in.
"It helps us with doing the line up for the parade," Schechtel said. "It is appreciated if we can get all the entries in at least a couple days ahead of time."
People wishing to take part can enter their floats, automobiles or horses in the parade.
"Music would be awesome, but anything like horses or floats, cheer teams, or youth groups, anything like that is great," Schechtel said.
Battleford Mayor Ames Leslie, Battlefords MLA Jeremy Cockrill and Battlefords-Lloydminster-Meadow Lake MP Rosemarie Falk are expected to participate.
For people who wish to store their floats after the parade until the North Battleford Territorial Days Parade, they can keep their floats in the Battleford Arena, on a first-come, first-served basis.
"We are really wishing to encourage people because it's the 40th year; we would really like to get as many entries as possible to make it a really good parade and to have a great time," Schechtel said.
