Heritage Festival kicks off with parade

By MEGAN HUGHES

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Hurley — The Iron County Heritage Festival kicked off this past weekend with several activities, including the annual Heritage Days parade in downtown Hurley Saturday afternoon.

Children cheered as floats drove past, throwing candy out of windows and from the back of truck beds. This year’s parade had a “Never ending winter” theme, with floats and costumes reflecting the snowy season. A pair of horseback riders wore Elsa and Jack Frost costumes for the event.

Several Iron County fire departments had their trucks as part of the parade, sounding their sirens as they passed.

The parade also included trail grooming equipment from the White Thunder Riders Snowmobile Club and a long line of old tractors which were part of the Tired Iron Club.

The Hurley Alumni Band marched and performed at multiple locations along the parade route, pulling up the end of the parade, stopping to play a medley of music for cheering fans, including “On Wisconsin” and the Hurley school song.

The parade lasted just more than an hour under sunny skies, with floats doubling back down Silver Street for a second pass, bringing more candy, more sirens and more music.

Before, during and after the parade, several high school reunions were held. A couple classes had floats in the parade. Following the parade, there was a Hurley all-class reunion held at the Iron County Memorial Building.