Niagara Lions Club Picnic

The Niagara Lions Club is busy preparing for this year's Niagara Lions Community Parade and Picnic which will be held Friday, June 29, and Saturday, June 30, at Heights Park in Niagara.

There is no admission price and activities will get underway starting Friday afternoon at 4:00pm.  Food and beverages will be available, 50-50 drawings will take place, and raffle prizes will be awarded throughout the evening. Registration for a two-person team bean bag tournament will begin at 4:00pm with action starting at 5:30pm. Entertainment will be provided both evenings.  Popular area band “Next Myle” will be featured Friday night from 7:00-11:00pm.

Saturday activities will get underway early when a special reunion of the Niagara Redettes will take place at the Niagara Historical Museum at 9:00am.  The Redettes were a very popular marching team of young ladies that earned many honors during their decade or so of appearing in parades around the state.  All former members of the group are encouraged to attend.  Activities in the park will begin at 1:00pm when the midway opens with “Jumpin’ Good Time” inflatables back again providing many of the popular bounce rides and games.  In order to help keep parental costs down, wrist bracelets will again be sold for $10.00 for the day that will provide children and adults with unlimited participation on the inflatables.  These may include the Monsters ink combo bouncer, a Toy Story plain bouncer, 22 foot regular slide or fire truck slide, a 27 foot cliff hanger slide, an obstacle slide, a basketball shot, and the Chaos big obstacle course.  A special afternoon feature this year will be the return appearance of Johanna Brewster’s popular Far Away characters who this year will feature Wonder Woman and Batman who will delight children from 3:30-5:00pm.  In addition to many booths offering food, beverages, and other games and roast corn will also be available.

The annual parade will get underway at 2:00pm with units lining up at the corner of Scott Street and Jefferson Avenue at 1:30pm.  There is no preregistration for parade entries so those planning to participate should line up and those with classic cars and trucks are encouraged to participate.  At 3:00 pm the new Miss Niagara will be crowned as incoming Miss Niagara Sydney Dunkes will receive her crown and sash from outgoing Miss Niagara Maddie West.  Sydney now becomes the fifty-first young lady to be honored in a tradition that dates to 1968 when Mary Kinziger became the first Miss Niagara at what is believed to have been the first Niagara Lions Picnic.  Also participating in the coronation will be court members Olivia Brasure, Annalise Colenso, Cassandra Gill, and Isabel Wells.

At 4:00pm the Niagara Women’s Civic Club will announce the winners of this year’s Niagara First Lady and Mr. Niagara contest who will be crowned by outgoing royalty Angie Moreau and Joe Johnston. Candidates this year for Niagara First Lady include Sharon Antonissen, Debbie Lindgren, and Brenda Swanson, while Mr. Niagara candidates include Bruce Darne, Ed Laarman, and Jamie Oratch. 

In the evening, drawings for the winners of the new Fireworks Cash Raffle will take place at 6:30pm when $2000 in cash prizes will be given out to those holding the winning tickets.  The cash prizes were donated by local businesses and are on sale currently for $10.00 per ticket. The entertainment for the evening is excellent as it will feature popular local band “141 North” who will they perform from 7:00pm to 11:00pm.

Raffle prize drawings will be held throughout the evening with major prizes for the regular Lions Picnic Raffle being drawn at 9:00pm. The highlight of the evening will culminate again this year with the area’s most spectacular fireworks display at dusk on Saturday which will again be accompanied by the playing of patriotic music.   Donations will be accepted throughout the picnic to help defray the cost of the fireworks.

As a community event, there is no charge for non-profit organizations to have booths and activities at the park.  Those interested are asked to contact Lion Kerry Grippen by June 27  at (906-282-8471) or by email at kjgrippen@gmail.com.