Some of the Cape’s “founding families” will act as grand marshals for the TIB Bank Celebrate Cape Coral Night Parade next Saturday.
The three-day festival begins Friday when the carnival kicks into high gear in downtown Cape Coral.
At the heart of the event is the parade, which has become one of the city’s premier, and longest runnning celebrations.
Cape Coral Chamber of Commerce Special Events Director Bob Knickman said the decison to feature some of the city’s original residents was a great way to connect the past with the prsent.
“The first 100 residents were called the pioneers, and we decided to gather up all the first families we could and put them on the lead float,” Knickman said.
Elmer Tabor and Paul Sanborn are some of the original families rumored to be leading the parade, which Knickman said has 50 entries.
He said it was the hard work of parade chairwoman Donna Meola that has made this year’s parade a success.
“Last year we had 40 entries and this year we have 50 entries and more floats,” Knickman said. “We have more this year than we’ve ever had because of Donna. The last three or four years her goal was to turn this parade into one of the best in southwest Florida.”
Aside from adding the carnival and stretching the event to three days, a new addition this year is reversing the parade route.
It will now start at Southeast 15th Avenue and end at Southeast 8th Court.
Knickman said that each day also will offer live music, and that Sunday is aimed at church goers with a worship service and non-secular music Sunday morning.
“We have entertainment for the young people on Friday, families on Saturday, and then on Sunday we’re reaching our to area churches,” Knickman said.
The TIB Celebrate Cape Coral Carnival and Parade begins next Friday and runs through Sunday. Hours are, Friday 4 p.m. to midnight, Saturday, noon to midnight and Sunday, noon to 7 p.m., with a Sunday worship service at 10:30 a.m.
For more information, call the Chamer of Commerice at 549-6900.