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Tiago (left) and Marco Baches
Photograph by: Laurie Keindel , Edmonton Journal
EDMONTON - Tiago Baches has circled the globe to march downtown for Friday?s K-Days parade.
Baches will woo tens of thousands of spectators as Prince Charming for the 10-day exhibition?s kickoff festivities after having embarked on a 30-hour trip from the southern tip of Brazil.
The 22-year-old was visiting Devon this week for the International Band Festival. One of his hosts, who is connected to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, asked if he and his younger brother Marco would join their K-Days float.
?That was a really good thing that motivated me ? makng people laugh and feel happy,? said Tiago Baches.
?I?m very excited and up to do this because we?re coming from another country and another culture. I?ve heard a lot of good things about the parade.?
Baches will salute spectators alongside 110 parade entries, which includes 28 dignitaries, nine giant inflatable balloons and seven marching bands. Mayor Stephen Mandel will lead the pack as parade marshal.
While they take in the sea of floats, parade-goers can expect a breezy 23 C with a mix of sun and cloud.
And take note: this year?s parade falls on a Friday, the same day the grounds open.
?This year, having the parade on the first day of K-Days really adds to that wow factor,? said Jennifer Sheehan, public relations manager for Northlands. ?You can watch the parade and then head to the grounds at noon.?
Sheehan said the opening number will showcase what the K in the newly unveiled K-Days moniker means to some people.
?For some people, it means Klondike. For other people, it means kids. For others it means kaleidoscope or kettle corn or what have you. It can mean a lot of things to different people,? she said.
K-Days Parade route through downtown Edmonton. (Jessica Brisson/Edmonton Journal)
Parade-goers will get to vote for their favourite parade entry using the Northlands smartphone app and determine this year?s K-Days Parade People?s Choice winner. Mandel will also crown the best float, while parade officials will dole out a crowd engagement award.
A ?pre-parade spectacular? will also be hosted by The Shriners. The international fraternity of men operates 22 children hospitals in North America. They?re considered a staple of the parade thanks to their 65-year streak.
?I think it?s fabulous that we?ve been selected to do this by the Northlands committee. Because we are such a large contingent, we take up two to three blocks when we?re in the main parade,? said Larry Howard, a member of The Shriners.
The parade will kick off at 10 a.m. with an opening number at 99th Street and 102nd Avenue, and then travel along 102nd Avenue from 97th Street to 105th Street. It will continue on 105th Street from 102nd Avenue to 103rd Avenue, and make its way back on 103rd Avenue from 105th Street to 100th Street.
Starting at 6:30 a.m., the city will close down the assembly area from Jasper Avenue to 103A Avenue between 95th Street and 97th Street. The city will restore traffic by 1 p.m.
Parking in the area will only be available at the intersection of 96th Street and 103A Avenue.
Transit officials expect an increase in ridership during the 10-day period, said Patricia Dickson, spokeswoman for Edmonton Transit.
?We?re running peak service on Friday first thing in the morning until 4 in the afternoon to get people to and from the grounds,? she said.
Downtown routes will be detoured starting in the early morning until the end of the parade. Transit officials advise riders to check detour times for specific routes, as they may vary.
K-Days runs July 19-28 at Northlands.
amigdal@edmontonjournal.com
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