Strawberry Festival Parade winners announced

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 June 2018 at 4:40 pm

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Al Capurso portrays a pioneer on this float by the Orleans County Historical Association on Saturday during the Strawberry Festival Parade. Capurso and the Historical Society won a special recognition award for community service by judges of the parade.

Capurso is president of the Orleans County Historical Association. He dressed as a pioneer resident with a log cabin shed to honor the pioneer residents of Orleans County. Barre and Shelby this year are observing their bicentennials, and other towns have recently marked their 200th anniversaries. The Erie Canal is marking a bicentennial observance from 2017-2025. Orleans County also will be 200 in 2025.

The Albion Strawberry Festival Parade, now in its 32nd year, was another energetic processional that lasted nearly 1 hour and 30 minutes on Saturday, starting at Albion Central School and concluding at the Main Street lift bridge.

The parade and festival featured a theme of “Celebrate Cobblestone Country.”

Parade judges have announced the winners of several categories:

Best use of theme (“Celebrate Cobblestone Country”) – Panek’s Pickin’ Patch had a float celebrating cobblestones and the county’s early years when many of the cobblestone buildings were erected.


Most original – Barre Bicentennial Committee for its float promoting the town’s 200th anniversary celebration from June 29 to July 1.

Town Historian Adrienne Daniels, left, and Town Clerk Maureen Beach dressed as pioneers to promote the town’s 200th anniversary bash.

The Barre Town Park on Route 98 will host a Bicentennial Festival on June 29-30. Friday hours will be from 2 to 9 p.m. and Saturday from noon to 10 p.m. There will be a parade on Saturday, June 30, starting at 10 a.m. The parade route will be from East Barre Road north to the Town Park. There will be games, dances, music and food both days. There will be fireworks on Saturday, June 30.


Best band – The Albion High School Marching Band impressed with its show featuring music from the rock group, Queen. Mykailah Roberts, left, is captain of the Color Guard.

Andrew Moore, a senior with the band, plays the trumpet with gusto in his final performance with the band.

Arella Ives, a drum major, is one of the leaders of the band.


Best cheer/dance – The Batavia Silver Stars, a square dancing group from Genesee County, made its debut in the parade and many people found the group delightful.


Best public safety agency (fire department, police, ambulance) – The Albion Fire Department had strong representation from its members marching in the parade (including Allyson Irwin, left, and Heather Johnston in front carrying the banner). The Fire Department had a lineup of very clean fire trucks.


Best classic car – A 1947 Cadillac owned by Brad Shelp. He rode in the car with his wife, Pat. The car has a message in the back window: “And they lived happily ever after.”


Best use of humor – Hoag Library, where staff had a dance routine with library carts to promote the upcoming summer reading challenge. Staff member Dirk Climenhaga is at right. The summer reading challenge is called “Libraries Rock!” The library will have numerous events during the six-week program with the kickoff at 11 a.m. on June 16. The challenge continues until Aug. 4 with a 3 p.m. ice cream social at the library.

Teresa Gaylord is the children’s librarian at the Hoag.

Return to top