Afton, MN July 4th Parade!

Grand Marshal - Lucy McAllister

Grand Marshal - Lucy McAllister

Lucy and Loring McAllister moved to Afton in 1973 as a young career-oriented couple prepared to settle into small town life along the St. Croix River, living in a home across the road from Afton State Park. Opportunities for wilderness canoeing, camping, and living in a most beautiful northern ecology had drawn them to Afton. Loring commuted to St. Paul and Minneapolis in mental health positions and Lucy found employment in Stillwater and “the Cities” in art education.

Over the years, the McAllisters hosted thirteen International Exchange Students, most of whom attended and graduated from Stillwater High School. Lucy energetically parented, gardened, taught bible school and art camps, and organized canoe trips and skiing routines for family and friends. Early on she volunteered with Afton State Park’s Saturday volunteers and the City of Afton’s Park and Recreation Committee with whom she organized family art and recreation activities in the city park.

In 1974, Afton Mayor Donald Scheel appointed Lucy as Afton’s Chairperson for the 1976 United States Bicentennial Celebration. Helpful materials from the National and the Minnesota Bicentennial Offices guided her work resulting in the designation of Afton as an official Bicentennial Community authorized to fly the gift of the Bicentennial Flag. Afton residents read about the Bicentennial in the Afton Citizen’s Forum newsletter and the open invitation to join an Afton Bicentennial Committee. A working core of 40 or more volunteers met weekly as needed to plan and execute projects in three thematic areas, Heritage, Festivals, and Horizons (projects that continued well into the future). Most activities were free although some special events were fundraisers requiring modest ticket payment.

“Heritage Committee” activities involved serious work related to recording interviews with old-timers about their memories of earlier times in Afton, visits to historic farmsites, early homes and shops in the area, and guided history, cemetery and nature walks. Several Afton shops sold a reproduction of the Cowperthwait Map of the Minnesota Territory in 1850 with our local Bolles’ Mills noted. A Design Competition resulted in the sale of a colorful enameled Bicentennial Pin featuring strawberries, once a common Afton produce frequently found for purchase at the “Shed” on a hillside south of town, at the Afton Berry Market or in St. Paul.

The “Horizons Committee” focused on projects intended to continue as long as needed, such as supporting the development of a local trail and conducting a formal Bike Trail Dedication and Event, an Arbor Day planting and care of a crimson maple as Afton’s American Revolution Centennial Tree in the Village Square, and continued expansion of work on an Afton historic sites tour brochure.

“Festival Committee” members published periodic Afton Bicentennial Broadsides inviting the public to frequent events such as a Bicentennial Photo Contest and Exhibition, Bicentennial Garden planting, Horse Riders and Drivers events, a Bike Trail Dedication, Musical Evenings in the Village Square, Ice Cream Socials, and a series of 13 films featuring Alistair Cooke’s America.

Their 1975 Dress Rehearsal 4th of July Parade was held to ensure Afton’s actual 1976 Bicentennial Parade would be an outstanding event. Lucy organized the Afton Schooner 4th of July Parade Band. Local citizens were selected to serve as Honorary Parade Marshall: US Vice Presidential Candidate Walter F, Mondale whose legal residence was then in Afton, and in 1976, Evelyn Grant, a descendant of the first postmaster in this territory. A Judging Committee was prominently seated on bleachers in front of the Village Square and awarded handmade First Prize Ribbons in each unit category. Judges would make their decisions and confer as each parade unit passed going south towards the turnaround point; a runner would deliver the awards to the winner as the unit returned on its way north towards the lumberyard exit point.

Parade units included Honor Guard with US Flags; Marching Scouts and 4-H groups, Baton Twirlers, the Honorary Parade Marshall in horse and buggy; the Afton Mayor in a horse and buggy; Walkers dressed in historic or other costume or in red/white and blue”; Afton Schooner Band; Children’s Decorated Bicycles; Vintage Cars; various floats; Horse and Bridle; Horse and Buggy; and not to be forgotten, the cleanup crew.

Both Parades were such a grand success that participants decided this was a tradition to continue. For another ten years Lucy continued to organize the parade with assistants for each unit until the Afton Business Association was formed and suggested they liked the idea of adopting the parade as one of their projects. Lucy was delighted with the offer but reserved the honor of organizing the Schooner Fourth of July Band, and still enjoys that privilege.

Through the years as Afton residents and lifestyles changed, there were fewer parading horses, buggies, children and costumed characters on foot. Other changes continue to reflect the times. The energy of our greater Afton community Parade has never failed to draw participants and crowds to cheer.