The Edison Festival of Light is all about bringing the community together, organizers say.
And this year's Grand Parade does just that in grand ways, saidKaren Ryan, past parade president andpublic relations manager with LCEC, a parade sponsor. The parade kicks off at 7 p.m. Saturday at Fort Myers High School and winds through downtown Fort Myers.
With 18 marching bands — 12 of those local,30 floats, 5,000 participants, and nearly 200 units, Fort Myers is represented. Add in the pre-parade festivities and as many as 200,000 revelers and you have the largest party for the year.
"One of our goals is bringing everyone together," Ryan said.
Edison Fest Grand Parade, by the numbers
While the entire month includes festivities, including coronation balls for the parade king and queen, hymn sings, car shows, science fairs, Mutt Strutts, and arts and craftshows, the Grand Parade draws the biggest number of people.
The festival pays tribute to Thomas Alva Edison, who made Fort Myers his winter home during his birth month. While there's no specific theme to the parade, organizers ask the units to add lights.
"If you are not all lit up, you are almost invisible," Ryan said.
One of the biggestgroups is SWFL Critical Mass, a group of cyclists that organizes monthly rides through downtown Fort Myers. It estimates they will have 400 people on bicycles in the parade.
"They are a perfect example of embracing the whole night parade," Ryan said. "They are lit up to the max. That's what we want."
After the fireworks over the Caloosahatchee River light the skies to start the parade, tuneswill fill the air.
"It's definitely going to be a musical parade," Ryan said.
In addition to the 12 high school marching bands, units from Ohio, New York, Clearwater, Jacksonville and Clewiston will perform.
Ryan said North Fort Myers High School is one to watch, with band members adding high-energydance steps to their marching.
With the units staging at Fort Myers High School, the participants mingle before the parade.
"We put all the bands in the football stadium and they have a DJ. They have so much fun. Also, all of the other participants are walking around and looking at everybody's floats.
"It's a small step in getting the community to come together."
Other parade highlights include the Budweiser and Whispering Pines Clydesdales, Shriners mini-cars, clowns,a giant helium balloon,the superhero-themed float from the BayshoreCloggers and the Lighthouse/USS Edisonia-themed float from the St. Michael LutheranSchool.
The St. Michael's float pays tribute to Edison Festival board member David Campbell, who died unexpectedlylast year, featuring his photograph on the back of the float.
"I thought that was very touching," Ryan said, seeing it for the first time at Sunday's junior parade.
Ryan said Campbell served on the board for years and fulfilled many roles. Hestarted the junior marshal program, which introduces high school and college students tofestival planning in hopes they'll become future festival leaders.
She said it's been difficult to imagine the parade without Campbell being a part of it.
"I kept seeing David Campbell everywhere," she said.
Road closures today for Edison Fest Grand Parade
Street seats
One of the best ways to watch the parade while supporting local non-for-profit groups is reserving a seat near Haborside Event Center.
"The street seats are almost sold out," Ryan said, but those hoping for a reserved spot on the route can visit the festival's webpage to find participating agency.
Tickets cost $10 per person and guarantee the "best seat in the house" along the curb.
Grand marshal
This year's paradegrand marshalis North Fort Myers High School graduate and Cape Coral native Ricky Manning.
He was on the 2014 season of the popular talent show "The Voice." He will lead the parade, but not before he gives a free concert at 3 p.m. on Edwards Drive in downtown Fort Myers.
"We always try to find someone who has a local tie," Ryan said, and that spectators will find interesting. "We thought he'd be a good fit."
Manning, who nicknamed his fans "Fannings", hasmore than 25,000 followers on Twitter.
Honorary grand marshal
Lee County Sheriff's Deputy Mike Zazwirsky is the honorary grand marshal.
Nominated by Rotary Club of Fort Myers South, he is a 12-year veteran who coordinates "Fighting Holiday Hunger" initiative that resulted in food for nearly 3,000 families.
The public cast online votes to determine the winner among the nominees that included
“Deputy Zazwirsky truly demonstrates what our profession is all about," Sheriff Mike Scott said in a release. "Not only has he done wonderful things for the community when it comes to feeding the hungry, he also developed a juvenile arrest monitoring system that is being modeled throughout our agency."
Crafts on the River
Centennial Parktransforms into a craft lovers dream with 100 exhibitors displaying hand-crafts.
A large variety of mediums include drawings, paintings, graphics, sculpture, crafts, jewelry, photography and edible art. The range of assorted size, subject, media and price provide something for everyone created by the artists you meet at the event.
The show is from10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday atCentennial Park in downtown Fort Myers.
Spaghetti Dinner
St. Francis Xavier Church is part of the Grand Parade tradition for many families.
Church members will servea dinner of spaghetti with meat sauce or marinara, salad, bread sticks, dessert and choice of beverage from 3 to 6:30 p.m. Saturday at the church,2157 S Cleveland Ave., Fort Myers.
Tickets are sold through the parish and school offices and the religious articles store for$10, which includes parking on church premises, along with a reserved placeto watch the parade.
For information, call the parish office, 334-2161
Edison Festival 5K Race
If marching in the parade is a bit too slow and youwant to move at a faster clip, join more than1,400 runners and thousands of spectators in the Downtown River District. Register for a 3.1-mile race for fun and a chance to win cash prizes.
The race starts at 5:45 p.m. on Edwards Drive.
This is one of the largest races in the area with spectators lining theroute, cheering participants and gearing up for the Grand Parade.
Registration is $20 today and Friday and $35 on race day.
If you go
What: The Edison Festival of Light Grand Parade is a two-hour event features hundreds of entries, including marching bands, floats, balloons, clowns and more. Fireworks kick off the parade. A Grand Parade Party and concert on the Caloosahatchee River begins at 11 a.m.
When: Parade starts at 7 p.m. Saturday.
Where: Downtown Fort Myers.
Cost: Free
Information: edisonfestival.org/
