APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Groups interested in participating in the Appleton Flag Day Parade have another week to apply.
“We got off to kind of a late start, but the trends have been going in a positive direction. That was really a game-changer,” said parade committee chair Corey Otis. “Because we have that uncertainty at the beginning, we made our announcement a little bit later than normal. I think that kind of threw off the schedule for a few of our traditional participants…I also think there’s probably a little bit of uncertainty on the part of people who would usually be in the parade.”
The deadline for entries for the 70th parade has been extended to April 22.
“We wanted to give people just another week to think things over and put plans in place and make sure they get that application completed and submitted,” Otis told WTAQ News. “In a normal year, we would have about 100 units in the parade we’re probably at about 60-percent of the applications that we typically receive. Usually, there’s a late rush as the deadline approaches anyway, and sometimes we have to track some people down…We’re open to probably be closer to the Christmas parade, closer to 80-100 [units]. So we’ll see in the next week or so how many more applications come in.”
Otis says they’re hoping to get some new applicants, as well as those that apply every year.
“People that haven’t participated in the parade, I think this would be a great chance for them to get their feet wet and see what it’s all about, and maybe add something new to our traditional event,” Otis said.
Those new applicants wouldn’t be the only new thing to the event either.
“Traditionally, we would honor a branch of the military service. This year we decided that we are going to break from tradition and honor frontline workers,” Otis said. “But first and foremost, the goal in the purpose of this parade is to honor the U. S. flag. So that just needs to be at the forefront of anything that they submit to us.”
Appleton’s Flag Day Parade is scheduled for June 12. If pandemic conditions prevent the parade from taking place on that date, it would be rescheduled to Sept. 11. If the parade is rescheduled, it would be announced by May 21.
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