Dynamite, 'Duck' Carry on Island's Lilac Parade Tradition
By Eric Fish

Leading the Grand Parade are Don "The Duck" (left) and Carl Andress, the great-great-great-grandsons of Chief Mackinac and great nephews of Henry "Eagle Eye" Andress.

Under sunny Mackinac Island skies, 79 entries decorated in Victorian grandeur paraded from Mission Point to Windermere Point on a jampacked Main Street as the conclusion to the 58th annual Lilac Festival.

Just as the crowning of the Lilac Queen traditionally opens the festival, the Grand Parade closes it. The event always takes place on Father's Day, and is hailed as one of the few parades in North America powered entirely by horses.

The parade began shortly after 4 p.m. Sunday, June 17, with Don "The Duck" Andress leading the event, as he has done for the past 35 years. Following Mr. Andress was his brother, Carl, John Perrault, Tony Miron, Heather Bazinau, and Aaron Payment, the chairman of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians.

Coast Guard personnel from Station St. Ignace took their traditional role as color guard, followed by American Legion Post 299 Color Guard, Indian River Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7439 Color Guard, Mackinac Island State Park 23rd U.S. Infantry Company E Regiment, and the Mackinac Island Police and Fire Department.

Grand Parade Marshal Dynamite the Clown waves to the crowd along Main Street, while celebrating his 25th consecutive Lilac Festival Grand Parade.

The Parade Marshal was Dynamite the Clown, Rudy Grahek, who has participated in 25 consecutive Lilac Parades during his 51 years as a professional clown.

"They probably figured, 'Well, you know, maybe he doesn't have much longer to live,'" he said, joking about his appointment as Grand Marshal. "It's really a great honor."

Also a part of the Scottville Clown Band, Mr. Grahek generally marches in 30 to 40 parades a year. The Lilac Festival parade, he said, is extra special to him.

"Of all the shows that I do through the course of the year, this is probably one of the nicest," he said.

Lilac Queen Kristi Kamphuis and court were featured on a special float that resembled the carriage Cinderella traveled on to get to the royal ball. The float received the Stella King Memorial Award for having the highest overall score. Judging for the parade was organized by Marie Steensma.

The Markel family Registered Halfinger Hitch approaches the end of the parade line as they pass the Star Line dock. This is their second year in the parade, coming from Waldron, Michigan.

Other floats included Mission Point's version of the Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe, the Island House Fairy Tale Float, Alice in Wonderland from Horn's Gaslight Bar and Yankee Rebel Tavern, and Thumbelina from the Butterfly House. Sea Biscuit Café and Fort Mackinac also had floats in the parade.

Mackinac Island Mayor Margaret Doud, U.S. Congressman Bart Stupak, and Michigan Senator Jason Allen were on hand for the event, as was the Governor's Honor Guard at Fort Mackinac, Girl Scout Troop No. 327. The Girl Scouts were honored with the Best Walking Award for their synchronized marching.

Music filled the air along Main Street and featured the
2007 Grand Parade Awards

The Glen Erin Pipe Band from Lansing passes by Ste. Anne's Church.

Stella King Memorial Award: Lilac Festival Queen and
Court
Grand Award: Knappytime Percheron
Best Float: Mission Point Resort
Best Theme: Horn's Gaslight Bar/Yankee Rebel Tavern
Best Historic: Mackinac Island State Park 23rd U.S.
Infantry Company E Regiment
Best Hitch: DeLoof Belgians
Best Carriage: Brugger's Other Farm
Best Equestrian: Wallen's Wild West Show
Best Equestrian Group: Seven Oaks Riders
Best Lil' Lilac: Mackinac Island Laker Cheerleaders
Best Walking: Governor's Honor Guard Girl Scout Troop
No. 327
Best Bike: Photography by Blair
Best Band: Alex Graham and the Grand Hotel Orchestra
Best Marching Band: Grand Traverse Pipe and Drum Band
Most Humanitarian: PAWS with a Cause
Most Humorous: Northern Michigan Beach Queens
Most Creative: Island House Hotel
sounds of Alex Graham and the Grand Hotel Orchestra, the Sault Ste. Marie Pipe Band, the Glen Erin Pipe Band, the Grand Traverse Pipe Band, the Titawabassee Valley Fife and Drum Corps, the Bandettes Steel Town Band, the Royal Canadian Drum and Trumpet Band, the Blue Notes of Ishpeming, the Newman Navy League and Cadet Corps, the Corunna High School Marching Band, the Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps, and the Scottville Clown Band.

The original Butterfly House and Insect World float cruises down Main Street during the Grand Parade Sunday, June 17.

Numerous animals were featured in the annual walk down Main Street. The Cindy's Riding Stable cowgirls paraded their horses, the Seven Oaks Riders were patriotically dressed in red, white, and blue, and Dan Wallen enjoyed his first parade with his trick horses.

PAWS with a Cause earned the Most Humanitarian Award as the Labrador and Golden Retriever K-9s marched alongside Leader Dogs, Greyhounds of Eastern Michigan, Therapy Dogs International, and many Saint Bernard's from Great Lakes Mastiff Rescue.

The Ladd family took part in their second parade with their six Austrian Halflingers.

Horse hitches were featured from Hi-Lite Farms Halflinger, Knappytime Percherons, Brugger's, DeLoof Belgian, and the Markel Family. The award for Best Hitch went to DeLoof Belgian.

The Northern Michigan Beach Queens entertained the crowd all through Main Street with their skimpy swimwear painted in caricature style on their T-shirts, and other Michigan queens, representing their respective festivals, rode in luxurious carriages.

An impressive display of bikes was also on hand to celebrate the day. Photographer Steven Blair of Photos by Blair won the award for Best Bike. Also appearing were Orr Kid's Bikes, Mackinac Wheels, Ryba's, and Mackinac Custom Wheels.

The 79 parade entries marched the route along Main Street to a boisterous crowd who responded to the event with applause and enthusiasm.

The Scottville Clown Band played a post-parade concert at Windermere Point to officially cap the Lilac Festival.