Post by Todd B on Dec 4, 2006 14:00:18 GMT -5
Ida night parade called ‘biggest ever'
By: Evening News staff story updated December 04. 2006 11:50AM
An estimated 30,000 to 32,000 spectators attended the 24th annual Christmas in Ida Parade of Lights on Saturday.
"It's the biggest ever," said Dale Zorn, member of the Ida Civic Club who sponsored the festival.
He cited nice weather, and marketing, as some reasons for its success.
Jump 5, the headliner group for Saturday's concert, also was a big draw. The Disney pop group performed for about 3,000 fans.
"The entire festival was well attended," he said. "It's a family event. I think families come back year after year."
Before this year's festival began, Mr. Zorn said the committee was already gearing up for the 25th annual Christmas in Ida Festival next year. Putting on a show like the Jump 5 concert was part of the whole preparation as organizers wanted to find out some of the details about other types of entertainment.
"Putting on a top-notch show is something we can do for the community," he said. "This is a very big entertainment venue. We want to put on the best show we can."
Mr. Zorn said festival organizers have a good handle on how big the parade can become and with crowds of more than 30,000 coming to a town the size of Ida, everything still goes off well.
Parking, he said, was one of the issues the Civic Club addresses each year.
"Every time we take a parking space, we replace it," he said. "There's a lot of pre-planning that goes on.
"The reason our parade is so successful is the details. We work three or four hours a night on just the parade line. We don't just put them in as they come in. We want to match units."
The parade included more than 120 illuminated units during the approximate two-hour procession. People lined the streets
Mr. Zorn said the business community joins together for the festival each year.
"What we want to accomplish is to showcase this small community," he said. "We have the same attitude we had 24 years ago. We want to provide a show that most likely would not occur in a small town like Ida. We're doing it in bigger ways and different ways. It's part of the whole small-town atmosphere of giving rather than receiving."
While the parade is the highlight of the weekend, it is just a part of the festival.
"I sometimes worry about it becoming too big, but we're always trying to find new ways to make it a better event," Mr. Zorn said. "We want to keep the small-town atmosphere. It's just incredible how the festival has grown."
By: Evening News staff story updated December 04. 2006 11:50AM
An estimated 30,000 to 32,000 spectators attended the 24th annual Christmas in Ida Parade of Lights on Saturday.
"It's the biggest ever," said Dale Zorn, member of the Ida Civic Club who sponsored the festival.
He cited nice weather, and marketing, as some reasons for its success.
Jump 5, the headliner group for Saturday's concert, also was a big draw. The Disney pop group performed for about 3,000 fans.
"The entire festival was well attended," he said. "It's a family event. I think families come back year after year."
Before this year's festival began, Mr. Zorn said the committee was already gearing up for the 25th annual Christmas in Ida Festival next year. Putting on a show like the Jump 5 concert was part of the whole preparation as organizers wanted to find out some of the details about other types of entertainment.
"Putting on a top-notch show is something we can do for the community," he said. "This is a very big entertainment venue. We want to put on the best show we can."
Mr. Zorn said festival organizers have a good handle on how big the parade can become and with crowds of more than 30,000 coming to a town the size of Ida, everything still goes off well.
Parking, he said, was one of the issues the Civic Club addresses each year.
"Every time we take a parking space, we replace it," he said. "There's a lot of pre-planning that goes on.
"The reason our parade is so successful is the details. We work three or four hours a night on just the parade line. We don't just put them in as they come in. We want to match units."
The parade included more than 120 illuminated units during the approximate two-hour procession. People lined the streets
Mr. Zorn said the business community joins together for the festival each year.
"What we want to accomplish is to showcase this small community," he said. "We have the same attitude we had 24 years ago. We want to provide a show that most likely would not occur in a small town like Ida. We're doing it in bigger ways and different ways. It's part of the whole small-town atmosphere of giving rather than receiving."
While the parade is the highlight of the weekend, it is just a part of the festival.
"I sometimes worry about it becoming too big, but we're always trying to find new ways to make it a better event," Mr. Zorn said. "We want to keep the small-town atmosphere. It's just incredible how the festival has grown."