Marion County Savings Bank took top honors at the 50th Anniversary Little Egypt Festival Parade with their entry paying tribute to the 50th year of the Festival winning the Grand Marshal’s Trophy and taking 1st in the Large Business category.
The float was covered with a variety of colorful decorations in a Mardi Gras theme, with the message “Happy 50” in large text on a fixture in the center.
Stacy Flota, one of more than twenty people involved with the bank’s entry, talked about the idea of the float.
“Our float theme this year is a Mardi Gras celebration of the festival’s 50th anniversary. We decided to do something fun (with) bright colors, creative,” Flota said. “We wanted to wish the festival a happy 50th, so that’s what we’ve done with our Mardi Gras float here.”
Salem Township Hospital’s float took second in large business with a flashy, multicolored float adorned with a large peace sign and a disco ball recalling the 70s. Diane Boswell, one of the Hospital’s participants, discussed the float.
“We decided to go with the theme of, ‘What was the first parade like?’ And it would have been in the 70s,” Boswell said. “So, we are remembering the seventies with disco, hippies, and the peace sign.”
Salem Township Hospital took 2nd in large business.
In the small business category, GoGoGourmet took first and My School Day Care second.
Rotary Club won in the civic division for their float featuring the City Series champion Rotary Baseball team. The Salem American Legion with its military truck entry featuring multiple flags was second.
In the new category of golf cars and side by sides, Kaylee Tindel took first and ATVs and More second.
Salem Assembly took first in the church category.
The Salem Soccer Association’s entry featuring many of its players was first in the youth division. The Salem Little League was second.
The flatbed truck featuring the Salem Community High School football team and cheerleaders took first in the school division and the series of cars featuring the SCHS Homecoming Court was second.
In the Baton Dance Group, Studio 50 was first.
In the other category, Ethanial’s Fight Forever golf cart in tribute of his fight against a deadly cancer was first and Nicholas Benjamin’s entry of a Ghostbusters’s car took second.
In the band competition, Altamont took first in the high school division. Iuka Grade was first and Centralia Junior High Second in the junior high band competition. Before the parade, the Salem Community High School Band was presented a plaque for serving as the host band for all fifty years of the festival.
Grand Marshals Frank and Jeannine Richards make their way down the parade route. Photo by Christian Boyles.
Crowds lined the parade route, some with umbrellas, as a light rain fell through the first part of the parade.
Kaskaskia College Cross Country Runner Ty Reynolds won the 5-k race. Despite the rain, more than 50 signed up.
Ty Reynolds crosses the finish line to take 1st place in the 5K run. Photo by Austin Williams.
Still to come, a full gallery of photos of the parade.
