Spectators watch dancers from Bowling Green-based Julie’s Dance Studio perform on East Front Street before the start of the Pemberville Free Fair Kiddie Parade on Wednesday.
https://www.bestprosintown.com/oh/bowling-green/julies-dance-studio-/Scott W. Grau | Sentinel-Tribune
Dancers from Bowling Green-based Julie’s Dance Studio wear cowboy boots while they perform.
Scott W. Grau | Sentinel-Tribune
Spectators line East Front Street waiting for the start of the Pemberville Free Fair Kiddie.
Scott W. Grau | Sentinel-Tribune
Announcer Teri Hansen describes the action during the Pemberville Free Fair Kiddie Parade.
Scott W. Grau | Sentinel-Tribune
Kids pose for photographs before the start of the Pemberville Free Fair Kiddie Parade.
Dancers from Bowling Green-based Julie’s Dance Studio pose for photographs while holding oversized tickets based on the theme of “We’ve Got Your Ticket to the Pemberville Free Fair” before the start of the Pemberville Free Fair Kiddie Parade.
Kids holding bags for holding candy wait for the start of the Pemberville Free Fair Kiddie Parade.
Senior King and Queen Terry and Sharon Nigh ride in the Pemberville Free Fair Kiddie Parade.
Kids scramble to gather candy that was throw into the street during the Pemberville Free Fair Kiddie Parade.
Eastwood Girl Scouts march in the parade and throw out candy during the Pemberville Free Fair Kiddie Parade.
Denny Henline, named the Outstanding Citizen, drives his vintage Trans Am car in the Pemberville Free Fair Kiddie Parade.
Denny Henline, named the Outstanding Citizen.
Spectators line East Front Street during the Pemberville Free Fair Kiddie Parade.
The Eastwood High School marching band marches down East Front Street during the Pemberville Free Fair Kiddie Parade.
The Eastwood High School marching band marches down East Front Street during the Pemberville Free Fair Kiddie Parade.
Riders on the “Two Tickets To Paradise” float move down East Front Street during the Pemberville Free Fair Kiddie Parade.
The “Movie Night” float drives down East Front Street during the Pemberville Free Fair Kiddie Parade.
The “Wild West” float moves down East Front Street during the Pemberville Free Fair Kiddie Parade.
Thomas Kroeger, 4, waves as he rides in the “Great American Pasttime: Fishing in the Portage, Catching Rainbow Trout” float during the Pemberville Free Fair Kiddie Parade.
Kevin Leady, of Luckey, distributes candy to his kids, Easton, 8, left, Elliotte, 2, center, and Emerson, 6, right at the conclusion of the Pemberville Free Fair Kiddie Parade.
Easton Leady, 8, (not pictured) digs through the candy that he and his sisters collected during the Pemberville Free Fair Kiddie Parade.
By Alex Holwerda
Special to the Sentinel-Tribune
PEMBERVILLE — Preparing for the Pemberville Free Fair Kiddie Parade can be just as much fan as participating.
“It’s a great activity to get a group of friends together to come out and have a good time (a few weeks prior to the fair),” said Arik Witker, commander of the American Legion in Pemberville. “Celebrate and show it off at the fair, maybe win a little something and come back for the Grand Parade on Saturday.
“It’s a great time. There’s not a lot (of local fairs) like it anymore and there’s something for everybody.”
Spectators line East Front Street waiting for the start of the Pemberville Free Fair Kiddie.
Scott W. Grau | Sentinel-Tribune
The Pemberville Free Fair hosted the annual Kiddie Parade on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. downtown. It was a sunny evening, and many local families attended the event.
Siblings Jamie and Jessie Sherman were both participants of the parade with the Eastwood Girl Scouts. This year was their first year with the Girl Scouts.
“There’s a lot of candy to hand out. There were a lot of kids. We got to be with our friends, and we got candy. We saw a lot of people we knew,” Jamie said.
Kevin Leady, of Luckey, distributes candy to his kids, Easton, 8, left, Elliotte, 2, center, and Emerson, 6, right at the conclusion of the Pemberville Free Fair Kiddie Parade.
The floats competed in eight categories: We Have Your Ticket to the Pemberville Free Fair, The Good OLE Days (things of the past), Radio/TV/Movies and Commercials, Fun on the Farm, Small Floats, Patriotic (design using red, white, and blue), Spectacular Sports and Fun on Wheels (bikes, strollers, or anything on wheels).
Judging was based on theme representation and rules, originality/creativeness, and artistic presentation. Ride vouchers were given out as prizes.
“The Kiddie Parade is of course a wonderful event because it starts off the fair, kind of kicks it into gear,” said Kelli Bohland, president of the fair board.
“The kids love it, and they also love getting candy for the kids that get to watch. We have lots of participants and the floats are always really nice.”
Several organizations and individuals from the community had the opportunity to create a float. The Great Lakes Community Action Partnership used a “Candy Land” theme.
“We’re here doing the parade to recruit families for Head Start, ages 3-5 for the Jordan Center in Bowling Green. We did ‘Candy Land’ because Head Start is sweet,” said Andrea Roper, with GLCAP.
“It’s always a good time so we always try and do it. Our main purpose for being in the parade is to find children 3-5 to enroll in our low-income pre-school that costs parents nothing.”
Easton Leady, 8, (not pictured) digs through the candy that he and his sisters collected during the Pemberville Free Fair Kiddie Parade.
Kevin Leady, of Luckey, distributes candy to his kids, Easton, 8, left, Elliotte, 2, center, and Emerson, 6, right at the conclusion of the Pemberville Free Fair Kiddie Parade.
Thomas Kroeger, 4, waves as he rides in the “Great American Pasttime: Fishing in the Portage, Catching Rainbow Trout” float during the Pemberville Free Fair Kiddie Parade.
The “Wild West” float moves down East Front Street during the Pemberville Free Fair Kiddie Parade.
The “Movie Night” float drives down East Front Street during the Pemberville Free Fair Kiddie Parade.
Riders on the “Two Tickets To Paradise” float move down East Front Street during the Pemberville Free Fair Kiddie Parade.
The Eastwood High School marching band marches down East Front Street during the Pemberville Free Fair Kiddie Parade.
The Eastwood High School marching band marches down East Front Street during the Pemberville Free Fair Kiddie Parade.
Spectators line East Front Street during the Pemberville Free Fair Kiddie Parade.
Denny Henline, named the Outstanding Citizen.
Denny Henline, named the Outstanding Citizen, drives his vintage Trans Am car in the Pemberville Free Fair Kiddie Parade.
Eastwood Girl Scouts march in the parade and throw out candy during the Pemberville Free Fair Kiddie Parade.
Kids scramble to gather candy that was throw into the street during the Pemberville Free Fair Kiddie Parade.
Senior King and Queen Terry and Sharon Nigh ride in the Pemberville Free Fair Kiddie Parade.
Kids holding bags for holding candy wait for the start of the Pemberville Free Fair Kiddie Parade.
Dancers from Bowling Green-based Julie’s Dance Studio pose for photographs while holding oversized tickets based on the theme of “We’ve Got Your Ticket to the Pemberville Free Fair” before the start of the Pemberville Free Fair Kiddie Parade.
Kids pose for photographs before the start of the Pemberville Free Fair Kiddie Parade.
Announcer Teri Hansen describes the action during the Pemberville Free Fair Kiddie Parade.
Scott W. Grau | Sentinel-Tribune
Spectators line East Front Street waiting for the start of the Pemberville Free Fair Kiddie.
Scott W. Grau | Sentinel-Tribune
Dancers from Bowling Green-based Julie’s Dance Studio wear cowboy boots while they perform.
Scott W. Grau | Sentinel-Tribune
Pemberville Free Fair events continue through the weekend, with music, food, rides, animals and another parade on Saturday.
The schedule:
