A
celebration 200 years in the making will take place in Elyria on Saturday,
August 5 – and you are invited to participate or attend! The City is still accepting registrations for
the once-in-a-lifetime Grand Bicentennial Parade. Registration Forms will be accepted through
July 28 and are available from the City’s website at www.cityofelyria.org, but must be completed and returned by mail or
in person to the Mayor’s Office on the third floor of Elyria City Hall – 131
Court Street. Questions should be
directed to the Mayor’s office at 326-1402.
To
commemorate the founding of the City of Elyria in 1817 by Heman Ely, a Grand
Bicentennial Parade, sponsored by Elyria
Charities, has been organized by the City and Elyria’s Bicentennial
Committee of more than 100 volunteers.
So far, over 90 units have registered for the August 5 parade, complete
with Clydesdale horses and other animals, five bands, 20 floats, circus
performers, baton twirlers, super heroes, ghostbusters, a living statue of
Heman Ely, antique cars and so much more.
The
parade will be one of the largest in Elyria’s history, and will be longer than
most the city’s previous parades, so residents are encouraged to plan ahead
when making plans to view the parade and traverse the City the morning of
August 5. The procession begins at
10:00am and travels from Poplar Street, down Gulf Road, turning right on Ohio
Street, turning left on Washington Avenue to Broad Street, turning left on
Middle Avenue, up Middle Avenue past Elyria High School, and turning right onto
West Avenue, where it will disperse in the parking lots of Elyria High
School.
The
parade route is longer because we want to involve as many Elyrians as possible
and showcase some of our important landmarks and our new additions like the
renovated Middle Avenue and our beautiful Elyria High School.
After
the parade the Cincinnati Circus will perform in Ely Square and a special
recognition program will take place.
Four First Aid Stations will be available including the corner of Ohio
Street and Washington Avenue, Ely Square, Elyria Catholic and the Elyria High
School Parking Lot. Mayor Brinda said
“We are looking forward to a wonderful day that demonstrates how strong our
community pride is in Elyria, Ohio.
Major companies, organizations, churches and many others are really
having fun planning and building their floats and involving their employees and
members in the festivities – and we can’t wait to see the outcome.”
