By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
The Apple Blossom Parade returns to the streets of St. Joseph this spring, celebrating the reopening of a classic St. Joseph entertainment venue.
Parade Executive Director Michelle Wolfe says the theme of this year's parade is garden parties. Wolf says a big inspiration for this year's theme, was the reopening of the Cool Crest miniature golf course.
"You know we're always looking for something that we can celebrate in St. Joseph," Wolfe tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. "So, with the reopening of Cool Crest, I think that just worked out perfect, and we thought well we'll incorporate that into the theme."
Wolfe says to help celebrate Cool Crest, David Freidel with Freidel's Lawn and Landscaping will recreate a Cool Crest float that was featured in the parade in the 1960's.
Wolfe says after the parade was forced to cancel in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, it returned last year in a slightly smaller fashion.
"We would just do it, and if we only got 20 entries, then we'd just do the 20 entries," Wolfe says. "And we had, I think if I remember right, we had about 60 entries last year."
Wolfe says normally the parade averages 70 to 75 entries, and she believes things will continue to get back to normal.
"I think it will continue to get back up to where it was, I think this theme will help with a lot of interest in doing something," Wolfe explains.
Wolfe says the number of floats in the parade has stayed about the same over the years, and hopes more people will get involved in creating one. And Wolfe says for those that do, the prize money incentive has gone up.
"We did raise our prize money, we used to just do 300," Wolfe says. "And so, we decided, you know, we were told by a few people that gave us feedback that said if you want to get some good floats, you need to raise your prize money."
Wolfe says now instead of splitting the prize money over five entries, the top two floats will earn prize money, with the top float earning $1000 and the second place winning $500.
The parade is on May 7th running its normal route. Entries for the parade will be accepted until April 15th, with entry fees increasing until April 28th, after which no entries will be accepted.
