Valleyfest Parade Bulging With Entries

Debbie Ellis was so excited about organizing this year’s Valleyfest Parade that she took lessons from Macy’s.

When she found out she was chairing the annual parade, she went to the library and checked out, “Planning a Parade,” published by the Macy Company, sponsor of the huge Thanksgiving Day parade in New York City.

“I wanted ideas on how to improve it and make it better,” says Ellis, who works as an educational assistant for the Central Valley School District.

She spent a solid month on the telephone, wrangling participants for Saturday’s parade that kicks off the Valleyfest event.

Her big vision for the little parade worked. Last year, the parade had 33 entries; this year, there are 90.

“We’re almost as big as the Junior Lilac Parade,” she said.

The parade begins at ShopKo at 9 a.m., traveling south on McDonald Road and ending at Terrace View Park.

This year’s parade features the “Louie Louie Band” led by Elvis.

Well, not the real Elvis.

Other highlights include a troupe of 60 clowns, led by “Doc T. Shrink.” The Easter Bunny will even make an out-of-season reprise, guarded carefully by two “secret service agents.”

About the only thing that won’t be there are political entries. Valleyfest isn’t about politics, it’s about children, Ellis said.

For Ellis, who has lived in the Valley for 10 years, organizing the Valleyfest parade has been more than just a summer volunteer activity. It’s been a life-changing event.

“Someday, in my obituary, they can say: ‘She helped start the parade in Spokane.”’

, DataTimes