Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
MEMBERS OF the Norwich Country Club ham it up during Sunday's Labor Day parade in Ontonagon. The entry asking to "Support Your Local Pollinators" included a "Norwich Nectar Sector" and was boosted by multiple walking or "flying" bees, a queen bee, a couple of beekeepers and a bear, all of whom enjoyed dancing down the street. It won first place in the open division.
By P.J. GLISSON
Ontonagon - The 67th annual Labor Day celebration took place this past weekend with three days of activities starting on Friday with a community picnic and ending on Sunday with a parade, a concert by Marty's Goldenaires and a communityfest that stretched into the evening.
Temperatures in the 90s helped to heat up the fun.
"When you have a town of 1,300 to 1,400, and 3,000 people show up, that's saying something," said Bill Burrows, a member of the Norwich Country Club, which took first place in the open division for its lively float titled "Support Your Local Pollinators."
Burrows credited many "busy bees" with making it a success, including his wife, Teresa, and their son, Liam, 11. They were among a troop of folks who walked, "flew" or danced beside the float filled with large flowers as it traveled the parade route along the downtown River Street. A queen bee, a bear and beekeepers also were included.
"It was great," said Teresa. "It was a lot of fun."
The Burrows grew up in Ontonagon and recently returned there after living in Seattle. Bill said that small-town events are distinguished by a strong sense of volunteerism, whereas urban equivalents often are run by commercial interests.
Watching the parade for the first time was Julia O'Connell, 11 months, who was with her father, Mike O'Connell, and his parents, Dee Dee and Bob O'Connell, all of Rockland. The O'Connells have been attending the parade for 38 years.
"She was very entertained," said Mike, with Dee Dee adding that the baby seemed especially excited by Marty's Goldenaires, whose members walked in the parade and then provided a street concert afterward under the direction of co-directors Dan Pitrone and Dustin Pitrone.
The parade included a lot of patriotic touches, with Ontonagon veterans leading the parade and John Devitt, founder of the The Moving Wall, designated as the parade marshal. Members of the VFW Auxiliary were among many units throwing candy, and the Stein Club won second prize in the open division for a float decorated as a tank, including a cannon that shot confetti.
Float winner for the Youth division was the Forest School, a home school with a mission of outdoor education. Winning the commercial division was 906 Services.
School districts of Ontonagon, Bessemer and Hurley were represented - the latter two with bands under direction of Josh Kepich and Jesika Cane, respectively. The Keweenaw Clown Band also played from a small wagon.
Also represented in the parade were Republican and Democratic parties of Ontonagon, MI-TRALE, local fire engines, the Ontonagon County Sheriff, ambulance services, local businesses and other youth and community interests.
After the parade, announcer Kenny Waldrop said "the infamous, legendary Marty's Goldenaires" would take a picture with Jan Tucker, who had announced for the parade from 1960 until five years ago. Tucker was a reporter for the Daily Globe and a local radio personality for decades.
Other activities during the three-day celebration included a kiddy parade, auto and art shows, Maxwell Street Day, fireworks, and the Ed Hanson Memorial Run, Walk and Roll.
The community fest that closed the celebration included live music, picnic foods, games and a silent auction.
