It may rain on Junior Lilac parade

Bring a raincoat and umbrella, if you are planning to watch the 60th running of Spokane’s Junior Lilac Parade on Saturday morning. The 10 a.m. parade begins at Spokane Falls Boulevard and Washington Street and will wind through downtown streets, ending at the Post Street Bridge near City Hall. National Weather Service forecasters are calling for a 50 percent to 60 percent chance of showers during the parade, with a temperature of 50 degrees at the 10 a.m. start. The temperature should warm to 55 by noon. The exact location and timing of wet weather is hard to pin down, forecasters said. The parade will be a celebration of area young people with school bands, drill units, dance groups and other clubs marching the route. Local officials and businesses will also join the fun. So far, more than 76 entries are listed on the parade roster with junior high and middle school groups making up the largest portion of the parade. This year’s theme is Six Decades of Celebration. From Spokane Falls and Washington, the parade will run east on Spokane Falls to Bernard Street; south on Bernard to Main Avenue; west on Main to Stevens Street; north on Stevens to Spokane Falls; and west on Spokane Falls to Post Street. The city of Spokane is closing both the parade route and adjacent streets, including the staging areas near the Spokane Arena, from 8:30 a.m. to noon.