By Keitha Daniels, Director, Hendry County Economic Development Council
Special to Caloosa Belle Independent
LABELLE -- For those participating in the Swamp Cabbage Festival Parade on Saturday, Feb. 25, Hendry County Economic Development Council Director Keitha Daniels shared the following information:
Access to downtown will be limited to parade entries only. If you need to park a vehicle, you may do so for a fee at the First Baptist Church on Main Street.
To access the First Baptist Church, it is preferred that you enter Campbell Street from Hwy 80. Turn left onto Curry Street and follow to designated parking.
There will be no parade entries on Campbell or Curry, making it easier to access the parking area. Please note- there is no area to turn around inside of the parking area. Please do not congest the road for incoming traffic. If you are dropping off parade participants, you will have the opportunity to leave the parade staging area via Fort Thompson Ave., Washington, or Oklahoma.
The Caloosahatchee Bridge will close at 9:30 am.
Staging area:
● Exercise caution as you travel to your spot. One lane of the road will be kept open for moving vehicular traffic on each street. Please proceed with caution in the parade staging area. There will be many entries and participants lining up.
● SCF Staff will be available to assist you if needed. Please look for them in marked vests.
● Restrooms will be available in various locations.
● Please be respectful of others, businesses, and residences in the staging area.
Once the parade has started:
● Candy and hand out items are encouraged in the parade; however, it is not allowed to be thrown from a moving entry. Please use good judgment when handing out these materials to avoid parade watchers entering the parade area and in the path of moving parade entries.
● If your entry includes animals- At no point, are you permitted to allow the public to interact with your animal. All animals must be kept within the parade route. If you violate this rule, you will not be asked to participate in the parade the following year.
● Judging: Floats and other entries will have the opportunity to compete for best-in-class trophies. The judging stand will be highly visible due to an elevated stage and banners in front of the Synovus Bank.
After the Parade:
● Once you have reached the end of the parade, you are invited to join us in Barron Park for festivities.
● Access to downtown LaBelle will be available along Main Street. After the last entry enters the parade route, the roads are opened for vehicular traffic.
● Parade awards are usually announced around 1 to 1:30 p.m.
