Opening Day Parade 2011 Announcements
January 14, 2011
Cincinnati, Ohio
Dear Friends and Supporters of the Findlay Market Opening Day Parade:
Major League Baseball threw Cincinnati a curve ball when they wanted to hold Cincinnati’s Opening Day on a Friday, but the Cincinnati Reds stepped up to the plate and hit one out of the park. Opening Day 2011 is Thursday, March 31, 2011. This will allow the Findlay Market Association to continue the time-honored tradition of hosting the 92nd annual Findlay Market Opening Day Parade prior to the Cincinnati Reds Opener against the Milwaukee Brewers at the Great American Ballpark.
Let’s show our spirit and enthusiasm and make sure Major League Baseball, The Cincinnati Reds, the people of Greater Cincinnati and the nation know that Opening Day in Cincinnati’s must maintain its extraordinary character. Now is the time for your organization to prepare an entry and take part in the festivities. The Parade is certain to receive extensive coverage from all of the local media outlets as well as national media attention. We anticipate that, similar to the last several years, through sponsorship by Ford, the Parade will be carried live on Local Channel 5. The parade committee is also in touch with prominent individuals in order to secure a highly visible Grand Marshall. We are continuing to work on the details concerning the media coverage and Grand Marshall for this year’s Parade. Also, in order to encourage unique and original entries, the Findlay Market Association will once again be judging floats and other entries and distributing awards to those creative entries which exhibit the qualities that make the Parade spectacular.
Thanks to the entries which make this event so festive. Please be advised that the requirements that each parade entry must be unique or decorated to celebrate Findlay Market, the Cincinnati Reds or the City of Cincinnati will be strictly enforced. Those entries that do not meet these requirements will not be allowed to proceed in the parade. The Committee has decided that it is not fair for those who place so much time and effort to their entry, to march next to those who just “show up.” A detailed description of your entry must be provided to the Committee when returning a completed entry form. Please be as detailed as possible as those descriptions are provided to media outlets.
Please be advised that due to the time constraints that have been placed upon the Parade by the Cincinnati Police Department and the fact the Parade must be completed in a time frame that allows parade viewers to migrate to the ballpark for the opening pitch, the Parade has reached its maximum size. The Parade Committee anticipates that it will be required to limit entries into the 2011 Opening Day Parade. Those entries that have participated in past parades will be given priority. New entries will be required to submit a detailed description of their entry to the Parade Committee prior to being registered for the Parade. Additionally, unless special authorization has been granted by the Parade Committee, entries consisting of vehicles will be restricted to two vehicles per entry and those vehicles must drive the parade route side-by-side.
Since 2007, the Parade has become responsible for charges associated with City Services. The Findlay Market Association is pleased that funding the Parade through donations should allow us to register entries for the Parade without requiring an entry fee and meet the financial obligations that have been imposed upon us by the City. We are able to accomplish this thanks to the generous donations that the Parade has received from many of the entries. We will once again be asking for donation to defray the costs associated with the Parade. Sincere thanks to those who have generously supported the Parade in the past to allow us to continue under these arrangements.
Here is a schedule of what to expect:
WEEK OF FEBRUARY 7, 2011: Parade entry forms will be mailed.
SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2011: Completed entry forms must be RECEIVED
by the Parade Committee in order to
participate in the Parade.
WEEK OF MARCH 21, 2011: A complete parade roster along with
detailed instructions and your entry
number will be mailed to all entries.
THURSDAY, MARCH 31, 2011: Opening Day Parade 2011
Cincinnati Reds vs. Milwaukee Brewers
Have A Great Day!!!!!
The Opening Day Parade Committee has launched a web-site to provide information to participants, the media and the general public concerning the parade. The site can be reached through links on the Cincinnati Reds, Findlay Market, WCPO, Local 12, Homer 247, the Kentucky Posts and other home pages. The web-site can also be found through many search engines including Google and Yahoo as well as twitter and facebook.
The web-site will be utilized to make announcements and collect information concerning the Opening Day Parade. We anticipate making much more use of the web-site in the future. We will be collecting e-mail addresses and investigating registering entries and providing information to entries via the internet to make it more convenient for participants and to reduce our mailing expenses. We will also explore placing links on the web-site for our participants. The web-site is very user friendly, check it out; any feedback is appreciated.
As always, your thoughts, suggestions and input are welcome. If you have any comments contact Neil Luken at Bare’s Meats in Findlay Market from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday at (513) 721-6533. We look forward to seeing you all on Thursday, March 31, 2011 at the Opening Day Parade.
Sincerely,
Neil Luken
Opening Day Parade Chairman
Kevin Luken
Parade Co-Chairman
Jeff Gibbs
Parade Co-Chairman
