The 50th Marshall County Blueberry Festival continues today, tomorrow, and Monday at Centennial Park in Plymouth.
This year’s Blueberry Festival Parade steps off Monday morning at 9:30. Organizers say it will include over 100 units, including high school bands, classic cars, and parade floats.
The grand marshal of this year’s parade is Plymouth Park Superintendent Mike Hite. “Basically, when they came up and asked me, my first reaction – I had several of them – the first one, I was just shocked,” he says. “Then I felt honored. It came out of left field. I don’t see myself as being a grand marshal at all. I think it’s more of an honorary distinction, because they have to pick someone, of how well the park department and the Blueberry Festival have worked together.”
Hite says the two entities have formed a good partnership, in spite of the number of different opinions that exist with all the park board and festival board members. “Each year, it seems our relationships get better and better and better, and we understand what they’re trying to do. They understand what we’re trying to do,” he says. “We understand how very, very important this festival is to the City of Plymouth and all the not-for-profits in town.”
Hite jokes that he’s been practicing his wave for Monday’s parade, “I don’t know if it should be like the princess wave or, you know, the cool guy point.” He says he’s invited park board members, park department employees, and their families to ride along with him.
For more information about the Blueberry Festival, visit BlueberryFestival.org.
