75 years ago
Wednesday, July 19, 1950
Mile-long Parade to Be Opener For Old Home Week
Civic Holiday Declared For Opening Day Tomorrow — All is Now Ready
Tomorrow, (Thursday) the shouting begins: the celebration of Huntingdon’s 126th Anniversary will be underway. At 2.00 p.m. sharp, amid waving banners and multicoloured flags, the Grand Parade will move through the streets of Huntingdon. It will be one of the most exciting spectacles the town has seen.
After forming on the Ridge Road, the procession will go along Bouchette Street as far as Prince, turn up Prince Street as far as Lake, go along Lake Street and turn east on Chateauguay Street. The parade will then move down the main street to Cemetery, turn west on Wellington, move up Wellington as far as Dalhousie, and finally, go along Dalhousie and across the bridge.
Thus the parade of over thirty beautiful floats, band music, and many other colourful things will provide a spectacular opening to the four days. Also in the parade will be the Brownies, the Girl Guides and the Old Home Week Queens. It will be over a mile long.
The opening speeches by Minister of Defence, the Hon. Brooke Claxton, J. G. Rennie, M.LA., Assemblyman W. L. Doige of New York State and D. E. Black, M.P., will then take place. It is expected, by the way, that these dignitaries will occupy a prominent position in the parade, driving near the front of the procession in a caleche.
The main elements of the programme are well known by now; the chief event being the first Rodeo and Stampede ever to be presented in Huntingdon. The show, one of the best in the west, will perform twice daily for the four days except Friday afternoon when the racing will take place.
The town has announced that Thursday afternoon has been declared a civic holiday. All places of business will remain closed.