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Warren County
Shriners clown, race around for fun — and for kids
Convention expects 1,600 clowns and drivers of mini cars and cycles, horse riders
Thursday, September 11, 2008
It's time to pull out the red fez hats and the tiniest cars you can muster.
Lebanon will play host to the Great Lake Shrine Association annual parade Saturday, Sept. 20. Touted as the "largest parade in Lebanon's history," it's expected to last two hours and will feature approximately 1,600 Shriners from Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois and Canada.
"We get to host the parade once every 21 years," said Shrine association President Harry Sterling. "We felt Lebanon would be a first-class place to hold it. They have a reputation that they love a good parade."
The parade will begin at the Warren County Fairgrounds and travel south on Broadway toward Main Street.
The parade is the finale for a four-day GLSA convention beginning Wednesday, Sept. 17 in Mason. The convention includes competitions including best clown and tiny car races on Friday, Sept. 19. All the competitions are open to the public.
"The clowns will compete to see who has the best routing. The little cars will have an obstacle course," Sterling said. "It's tremendous fun for everyone involved."
Shriners operate 22 hospitals for children across North America, including the Shriner's Burn Hospital in Cincinnati, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. Shriners spend approximately $1.5 million every day on patient care, at no cost to the patients or their families, Sterling said.
To help celebrate the event, Lebanon's merchants are running special sales and extending store hours.
If you goWhat: Great Lakes Shrine Parade
When: 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 20
Where: Dowtown Lebanon, along Broadway
Competitions
On Friday, Sept. 19, the Shriners' will compete in the following:
Clowns: 9 a.m. to
1 p.m. at Kings Island Resort & Conference Center on Kings Island Drive in Mason
Pipers: 3 p.m. to
5 p.m. at Kings Island Resort & Conference Center on Kings Island Drive in Mason.
Motorized vehicles: Begins at 10 a.m. at Kings Island's North Parking Lot
Horse patrols: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Warren County Fairgrounds on Broadway in Lebanon.
