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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2013-11-07, Page 26After being turned away from the Kitchener/Waterloo Oktoberfest parade over 20 years ago, Brussels’ Don McNeil’s 1928 Model A Ford jumped through some hoops and was on the parade route for this year’s famed event. It was earlier this year when McNeil was approached at the Mildmay Fall Fair and the wheels began turning to get McNeil’s car in the Oktoberfest parade. In Mildmay McNeil was approached by Jean Weiler, Oktoberfest’s parade director asking him to come to Kitchener for the parade. “To be asked by the lead person, what a privilege,” McNeil said last week in an interview with The Citizen. After he was asked, however, accepting wasn’t automatic, as he asked himself a number of questions. He felt it was a gamble for the car, and still slighted by being turned away years earlier, McNeil didn’t know what to do. However, it came down to the car and he said that if the car could handle the parade, he would do it. In preparation for the parade,McNeil had to answer nearly 40questions pertaining to the safety of his vehicle. The parade’s regulations are some of the most strict he has seen in all his years of parades, he said. McNeil received some help, however, in the form of Huron East Economic Development Officer Jan Hawley who began lobbying on McNeil’s behalf and Sholdice Insurance, which granted McNeil a special, one-day insurance policy to cover the liability requirements of the parade. Once he knew he was covered, McNeil travelled to Kitchener with his family, including his son Dan and friend Randy Zinn from Wingham, who would both ride in the parade with him. Decorating the car, McNeil said, took him nearly four hours, while at the same time he had to be ready for the parade’s police escort at 6 a.m. The experience of the parade, however, was one that he’ll never forget. “I know it’s not always the best way to represent Brussels,” McNeil said of the car, often called the Brussels Hillbilly car, which is adorned with everything from mannequins to a small drum kit, “but I went for it anyway.” Over the course of the parade,McNeil figures that he drove the carabout 12 miles, but it was worth it to see the thousands of people excited and happy on the day of the parade. The trip required four different batteries, a new set of spark plugs and a steady supply of ice, to be put in the tea kettle on the hood to keep the engine cool, but the car made the trip. The parade was well organized, McNeil said, as he and his family were back in Brussels by 3 p.m. that day. McNeil figures that he has appeared in over 250 parades and the Oktoberfest parade stands second only to a Santa Claus parade in Barrie, which he said was one of the biggest he has ever seen. He jokes about aspirations of appearing in the Rose Bowl and Cotton Bowl parades in the United States, saying that perhaps one day he’ll get there. PAGE 26. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2013.McNeil rides proud in Oktoberfest parade Taking his show on the road Don McNeil of Brussels took his parade car to Kitchener last month for the city’s annual Oktoberfest parade, which is part of the second-largest Oktoberfest celebration in the world. McNeil is seen above driving down Kitchener’s main street and he is seen below with the event’s banner. (Photos submitted) This year give a gift that will last all year long Send a one year subscription for The Citizen to: Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Address. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . City . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Prov.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Postal Code. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Date to start subscription . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Return with payment to: The Citizen Box 429, Blyth, ON N0M 1H0 or Box 152, Brussels, ON N0G 1H0 For U.S. and foreign subscription rates call our office at 519-523-4792 ❑ Payment Enclosed Please send a gift card from 1 YEAR SUBSCRIPTION TO THE CITIZEN FOR ONLY $36.00“QUEENS OF COUNTRY” BLYTH MEMORIAL HALL 423 Queen Street 519-523-9300 www.BlythFestival.com JOHNNY CASH SUNDAY NOVEMBER 17th @ 3:00 P.M. BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW .... ONLY $29 ! THTHEHETHE aammymyammyTTaaTaWWYNETTTENETTEYWY LoretttaLorettaYYNNNNNYYLLL QUEENSAA TT JJOHHHNNN DollyyDollyAARTONNOTRAPPP PPPCL S OF COUNTR CLJohnnynyJohnnyAAASHASHCCC NYNY CACAASHSH aaatsysyatsyLINNE YR LINE H AAM YORFIDOOIDORFYYMAPPP JIJI MARIE BOTTTRRTT BOIERMAM OORFIDOOIDORFYYYM RELLELLR ME PAM YORFIDOODORFYPP JIJI YTHBLLY ythFBl.www 519-523-9300 Queen423 MBEVNOY AAYUNDS BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW AL MARIE BOTTRRTT BOIERMAM YORFIDOOIDORFYYM HORIALM ME comal.vestiythF 519-523-9300 eet StrQueen 17ERMB @th 3:00 P BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW $YY LLYON.... L RELLELLR AL com 519-523-9300 .M. PP. $29 ! By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen Get information on Huron County attractions on the Stops Along The Way section of our website www.northhuron.on.ca