Oompah! -- Frankenmuth Bavarian Festival Parade Highlights Event

105 Entries Provide Wide Variety to Cavalcade in Michigan's "Fun Town"

June 18, 2008       Leave a Comment
By: Dave Rogers

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You name it, the Frankenmuth Bavarian Festival Parade has it all!

Sunday's parade drew a huge turnout of marching units, floats, vehicles and displays -- 105 in all that took nearly an hour and a half to pass a single point.

Roads leading into the city were detoured to avoid snarling traffic downtown during the parade.

Visitors came from far and wide to enjoy the fun, buy a pretzel from a Frankenmuth Rotarian, have an ice cream cone or maybe even partake of the traditional chicken dinner that has made the Bavarian village one of the most popular tourist attractions in Michigan.

The Frankenmuth Coffee Shop has delightful paninis and seafood salads, as this writer can attest.

And the Chocolate Shop across the street has wonderful ice cream cones. Ever try to take a picture with an ice cream cone in your hand?

The Annual Bavarian Festival is not just an event - it's a feeling of "Gemütlichkeit", combined with the warmth and friendship of Michigan's charming Bavarian Village.

As the village elders say to three million visitors a year: "Willkommen."

It all started in 1959 with a Grand Opening Celebration of the Bavarian style addition to Fischer's Hotel on Main Street.

"Tiny" & Dorothy Zehnder gambled on "Bavarianizing" their restaurant and re-naming it Frankenmuth Bavarian Inn.

Several years later the event out-grew the parking lots of the restaurants. The Civic Events Council of Frankenmuth took over the operation of what has become an annual Bavarian Festival!

The most heard advice is: "Come and enjoy the Gemütlichkeit of Old Bavaria blended with hospitality of Frankenmuth."

This year the festival court was comprised of Kasey Gugel, Elizabeth Rummel and Kelsey Mayer, who rode on the Bavarian float during the parade.

It was a grand and glorious day and a good time was had by all. Enjoy MyTriCityNews.com's pictorial visit to the parade, just like you were there.

Plymouth Fife Corps pipes it up.
(MyBayCity Photo by Dave Rogers)

Bronners float recalls Christmas
(MyBayCity Photo by Dave Rogers)

Frankentrost Band oompahs along.
(MyBayCity Photo by Dave Rogers)

Lutheran Home wheelchair brigade.
(MyBayCity Photo by Dave Rogers)

It's easier to ride for girl and dog.
(MyBayCity Photo by Dave Rogers)

Chesaning Showboaters toot their horn.
(MyBayCity Photo by Dave Rogers)

Vassar Riverfest rolls along.
(MyBayCity Photo by Dave Rogers)

Miss Davison, cute and perky
(MyBayCity Photo by Dave Rogers)

Sweet Potato redhead queens have a ball
(MyBayCity Photo by Dave Rogers)

Bay City's St. Patrick's Day Parade queens
(MyBayCity Photo by Dave Rogers)

Montrose Blueberry Queen is a pip.
(MyBayCity Photo by Dave Rogers)

Crowds line street to watch parade.
(MyBayCity Photo by Dave Rogers)

Frankenmuth Rotary Club having fun
(MyBayCity Photo by Dave Rogers)

Apple, apple, who's got the apple?
(MyBayCity Photo by Dave Rogers)

Calliope enlivens parade route.
(MyBayCity Photo by Dave Rogers)

Whoa, there, boys, the sheriff's here . . .
(MyBayCity Photo by Dave Rogers)

Saginaw Voyageurs on portage . . .
(MyBayCity Photo by Dave Rogers)

Past presidents of Bavarian Festival . . .
(MyBayCity Photo by Dave Rogers)

Bavarian Festival festive float . . .
(MyBayCity Photo by Dave Rogers)

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Dave Rogers
Dave Rogers is a former editorial writer for the Bay City Times and a widely read, respected journalist/writer in and around Bay City. (Contact Dave Via Email at carraroe@aol.com) More from Dave Rogers

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