Cameron County Sesquicentennial Parade

Cameron County Sesquicentennial Parade will step off at noon on Saturday September 4
. It will highlight a patriotic theme noting all the men and women from the county that have served in every war since the Bucktails floated to Harrisburg to serve during the Revolutionary War. The Grand Marshall of the parade will be 93 year old Andrew Richnafsky who served in World War II.

Richnafsky’s heroism during the war is well documented. While serving in Czechoslovakia, a fellow soldier was hit by shrapnel from an artillery shell. Richnafsky picked up the man and began carrying him, but before he could get very far, Richnafsky also was wounded twice. That did not stop the Cameron County native from continuing 300 yards to safety. The man Richnafsky saved, lost his eyesight, and lived a productive life. In fact he was named in the 1970’s as the Handicap Person of the Year.

Richnafsky will be joined by the oldest resident of Cameron County. 105 year old C.W. Hudson has been invited to ride in the parade! The oldest woman, 100 year old Ruth Laughlin is unable to participate.

Parade day excitement begins at 9 in the morning when the Cameron County Little League Complex will morph into balloon heaven. Four patriotic themed helium filled balloons will be blown up at the facility. Most of the 80 plus units scheduled to march in the parade will gather on Route 155 just outside of Emporium. At noon the parade will march from the caboose on Route 120 to Woodland Avenue in Emporium.

A viewing stand will be located on Fourth Street in front of the Northern Tier Community Action facility. At the stand, the winners of first and second place trophies plus the Commissioners and Emporium Foundation trophies will be announced. Local radio station WLEM/WQKY will broadcast the parade live from the viewing stand.

During the parade, various vendors will be selling food and parade balloons. The Cameron County Fair Association will sell funnel cakes, deep fried Oreos and water, while the First Presbyterian Church of Emporium will offer walking ice cream sundaes. Following the parade, the Cameron County Quilters will raffle off a quilt. Cameron County Community Chest will plunge the ducks into the water from the Broad Street Bridge at 2:30 following the parade. The finish line is on Front Street near the Gazebo.

Cameron County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Tina Johns Lorson says, “the event is full of fun for the entire family”. The parade should last about 90 minutes. “It has been wonderful to see the support of the community from municipal officials, small business owners and groups and organizations.”