PHILLIPS – After several years of live DJs, attendees of the 58th Phillips Old Home Days’ parade will once again be able to tune to 99.3 FM to receive parade announcements.
The parade is Phillips’ annual summer event’s biggest draw, beginning at 5 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 21 from North Franklin Park. For the previous several years, organizers have employed centrally-located DJs to announce parade floats and the participating families and organizations. The issue was that only people near the speakers could hear the announcements, according to event organizer Tami Bredeau.
This year, organizers have hired WKTJ to announce the parade. Those in attendance will be able to tune their radios to 99.3 FM to hear WKTJ general manager Rick Davis provide information about floats, marching groups and other participants.
Bredeau noted that WKTJ had announced the parade years ago, but that practice ended due to the radio station having to transmit from the top of the church in order for the transmission to clear Mt. Blue. Due to more recent improvements, however, WKTJ will be able to transmit from a lawn adjacent to the parade route.
The radio station will be paid through local-area business advertisements to be read on air, Bredeau said.
The parade begins at 5 p.m., with participants checking in at North Franklin Park at 4 p.m. This year’s theme is “Disney Comes to Phillips.” The parade will take place rain or shine, Bredeau said.
“We’ve had very few rainy parades,” Bredeau said Wednesday. “We’ve been very fortunate.”
The Friday night street dance will either take place on Main Street or at the Phillips Area Community Center, also known locally as the old gym. Organizers will try to decide on a location tomorrow evening, and WKTJ will make that announcement during the parade.
The dance runs 7:30 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. The band “Stay Tuned” will be performing at either location.
For more information about these and other Old Home Days events, please click here.
