Floats help
celebrate local
milestones

ONE OF the best ways for groups to
celebrate anniversaries or other significant
milestones is by participating in the annual
Riverboat Days parade.

Last year Zion Baptist Church’ s float
marked its 40th anniversary as a congrega-
tion in Terrace.

And this year that tradition continues when
the Terrace Stock Car Associalion makes an
appearance to note ils 30th anniversary.

“They'll be making their presence known. I
have inside information on that,’’ noted parade
organizer Joyce Bradley.

She’s the parade’ chairman and its overall
sponsor is Branch 13, ‘The Royal Canadian
Legion.

New floats scheduled to be entered include
one from the Northwest Community Health
Services Sociely (the new name for the Skecna
Health Unit).

Also making an appearance is the 1972
Caledonia school grad class, members of
whom are in town Cor a 25th reunion.

Bradley is also looking forward to a strong
contingent from Kitsumkalum.

‘Last year it was windy and people said
it would rain but it didn’t. And it won’t
this year. I guarantee it”’

-parade organizer Joyce Bradley-

‘They have quite a few youth things going on

their. There’s a soccer group with.-new
uniforms and they’ll be taking part,’’ she said.

The City of Prince Rupert will be represented
with a float and there'll be some Shrine mem-
bers in the parade.

Also on the list is the forest service’s initial
attack forest fire fighting crew.

Bradley says people should ignore. the
suspect weather of the past while. .

‘Ii never rains on my parade,’’ says Bradley
who has organized six of the last seven.”

“‘Last year it was windy and people said it
would rain but it didn’t. And it won’l this year.
I guarantee it,” she said.

LAST YEAR'S Terrace Little Theatre float was one of the more pop-
ular. And just like last year, this year's annual Riverboat Days pa-

The one word of caution for participating
groups is nol to throw candy out from floals to
spectalors.

“Two floats were disqualified last year be-
cause they threw candy and thal was a shame
because they would have been winners,’
Bradley noted. ;

But parade participants walking beside their
floats can hand out candy to spectators, she
added. ;

‘As in past years, the parade begins at 11 a.m.
on Riverboat Days Saturday which, this year is
Aug. 2,

Ii goes down Lakelse Ave. after entering
Lakelse at the Eby St. intersection.

Leading the way are the official parties such
as the Terrace Pipes and Drums, Branch 13 of
The Royal Canadian Legion and Miss Terrace.
The parade continues down Lakelse to the
legion where il disperses. ,

And its at the legion where parade judges
release their decisions in a wide range of cale-
gorics.

These include best overall awards and
specific ones for community organizations and
businesses. ,

rade is sure to draw a crowd. Dazens of floats will make their way
down Lakelse Avenue starting at 11 a.m. Aug. 2.

THE ROYAL Canadian Legion, Branch 13, is this year's overall sponsor of the parade.

Get your motor runnin’, head out on the highway

MORE THAN 100 dragsters and thousands of spectators are expected at the drag races this Sunday,

IF WOULD be hard to
miss the third annual
Riverboat Days Drag
Races,

If the roar of highly-
tuned engines doesn’t get
you out of bed then the
smell of burning rubber
will. And at the very least
you'll want. to find out
where everybody else Is

going.

They’re all heading to —

Highway 16 East, where
every type of car, truck
and motorcycle — im-
aginable will be lining up
to see who’s the fastest. in
the northwest.

The highway will. ac-
tually be closed from ear-
ly Monday morning until
late in the afternoon. for
the races,

Last year 103 vehicles

tumed up to take the’
high-speed 1/8 mile chal-_

lenge. And organizers are

hoping to get even more
racers out this year.

“All you need for the
street class is a helmet
and your car,’’ says
Dennis Moore of the Ter-
race Drag Racing Associ-
ation. “Or your mom’s
car or your brother’s. It
doesn't really matter.’’

Entries will be divided

_into A, B and C classes,

plus a motorcycle. class,

‘depending on the speed
and type

of vehicle
driven, >
The majority of racers
will likely. be locals: —
some looking to settle old
scores, others. aiming to

- show just.how fast you
can make a Datsun 510,

80:

Local racers also make
up three of the five
speedy rail: cars racing

this year. And one of the

signs.
visiting machines. is an. ~

alcohol-fucled monster
that is sure to tum some
heads.

Just like last year, a
grandstand will be set up
to give everyone a good
view, and the food con-
cession has been ex-
panded to six different
vendors to help feed
thousands of hungry
spectalors,

Racing gets underway
al 9 a.m. but those wish-
ing to take part should be
there at about 7:30 to reg-
ister. Racing will end at 6
p.m. when the race track
turns back into a high-
way.

Organizers would like
to remind spectators not
to park on River Drive, as
they will be towed. Plenty
of parking should . be
available, just follow the