Latest / WIXN AM 1460 - Shaw Local Radio / Talk-Line: Debbie Dickson, Oregon “Autumn On Parade”

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Talk-Line: Debbie Dickson, Oregon “Autumn On Parade” · WIXN AM 1460 - Shaw Local Radio

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: And we are quarter past the hour. This is Tuesday,
• 0:02
  Speaker 1: It's September thirty, the year is twenty twenty five, and
• 0:06
  Speaker 1: it's time for another informational edition of talk Line here
• 0:09
  Speaker 1: at WIXN Radio. Good morning, I'm Steve Marco. It is
• 0:12
  Speaker 1: time for our annual look at a fun event that
• 0:16
  Speaker 1: is coming your way friends across our Northern Illinois area.
• 0:20
  Speaker 1: It is time to preview and pull the wraps off
• 0:22
  Speaker 1: of the twenty twenty five Oregon, Illinois Autumn On Parade Festival.
• 0:28
  Speaker 1: And I cannot think of a better individual to do
• 0:31
  Speaker 1: the honors than an individual that has talked to us
• 0:35
  Speaker 1: for many, many years in her previews of these festivals
• 0:39
  Speaker 1: in years past. She is with us once again for
• 0:42
  Speaker 1: the twenty twenty five festival and she is going to
• 0:46
  Speaker 1: preview it for you here at WIXN today. Our very
• 0:49
  Speaker 1: dear friend from the Autumn Parade Committee is Debbie Dixon
• 0:52
  Speaker 1: and she is live with us by telephone this morning
• 0:54
  Speaker 1: here at WIXN Radio. Debbie, good morning, Good.
• 0:58
  Speaker 2: Morning, Steve. How great to be with you again.
• 1:01
  Speaker 1: It is nice, ma'am to have you with us before
• 1:03
  Speaker 1: we get to the Autumon Parades Festival. I want to
• 1:07
  Speaker 1: make a couple of announcements. First of all, an announcement
• 1:10
  Speaker 1: that was made to me, and I hope Debbie that
• 1:13
  Speaker 1: I am not being presumptuous in talking about this at
• 1:17
  Speaker 1: the top of the program, but I want to get
• 1:19
  Speaker 1: the word out that, Debbie, because you have been with
• 1:22
  Speaker 1: the festival for how long now the Autumon Parade Festival,
• 1:25
  Speaker 1: now for how much?
• 1:26
  Speaker 2: Geez? If I tell you, somebody may be's my age
• 1:29
  Speaker 2: and that's not just count the wrinkles on my face
• 1:34
  Speaker 2: when you pass me on the square. It's been over
• 1:38
  Speaker 2: thirty years.
• 1:39
  Speaker 1: Steve, Yes. And in those thirty years we have conversed
• 1:43
  Speaker 1: pretty much every year with Debbie about this upcoming festival.
• 1:47
  Speaker 1: It's been a fun festival to cover. But Debbie, there
• 1:50
  Speaker 1: comes a time where you know you have to say, hey,
• 1:54
  Speaker 1: you know this, this seems to be a good time
• 1:58
  Speaker 1: to hand the baton over right, And we.
• 2:02
  Speaker 2: Are there with Autumn Trade. I have spent the past
• 2:04
  Speaker 2: five years mentoring and molding a new team, and I
• 2:11
  Speaker 2: got to tell you, Steve, I am so proud of
• 2:14
  Speaker 2: this group, so proud our new board and the new
• 2:19
  Speaker 2: committee members. We have phenomenal I walk away a proud mama.
• 2:25
  Speaker 1: That's wonderful after kind of burping the baby, so to speak.
• 2:29
  Speaker 1: You know, Debbie, you harken back for those three decades
• 2:32
  Speaker 1: plus and you look at the Autumn Parade back then,
• 2:35
  Speaker 1: and you look at Autumn Parade now good heavens well.
• 2:40
  Speaker 2: Gets true, and you know, a season's change, events morph
• 2:44
  Speaker 2: as they should. You don't want to stagnate. Our times change,
• 2:49
  Speaker 2: people's desires and preferences change. And we have done our
• 2:54
  Speaker 2: best to scoot this forward, this festival forward to the
• 2:59
  Speaker 2: best of ours. And I believe we are knocking it
• 3:02
  Speaker 2: out of the park.
• 3:02
  Speaker 1: I think so, And you have been for the years
• 3:06
  Speaker 1: that Autumon Parade has been presented in the beautiful area
• 3:10
  Speaker 1: of Oregon, Illinois. First of all, you know the atmosphere,
• 3:14
  Speaker 1: the surroundings that this festival is presented in. I don't
• 3:18
  Speaker 1: think to be matched. I really don't.
• 3:21
  Speaker 2: Well, I agree Steve. Having it at the back drop
• 3:24
  Speaker 2: of the Ogle County Courthouse and all of the efforts.
• 3:28
  Speaker 2: There's so much partnering with the City of Oregon, with
• 3:32
  Speaker 2: the Oregon Park District, our Streets Department. We just have
• 3:36
  Speaker 2: so much hands on cooperation. We are very blessed in
• 3:39
  Speaker 2: our community. If you took a drive through Oregon this
• 3:42
  Speaker 2: week prior to the festival. I hope you are taking
• 3:46
  Speaker 2: in the beautiful planters, the corn stalking that was done
• 3:51
  Speaker 2: on Sunday by a huge group of volunteers. There is
• 3:54
  Speaker 2: a lot of boots on the ground, labor love intensive
• 3:58
  Speaker 2: going on.
• 3:59
  Speaker 1: Absolutely, the entire community seems to pitch in when it
• 4:03
  Speaker 1: comes to this event. The entire community. And as I mentioned,
• 4:08
  Speaker 1: it is such a scenic backdrop anyway, Oregon, Illinois is
• 4:11
  Speaker 1: one of the more scenic areas of our northern Illinois area.
• 4:15
  Speaker 1: And I just can't think of a better place that
• 4:17
  Speaker 1: this festival should be located in than beautiful Oregon, Illinois.
• 4:21
  Speaker 1: And it has been, as Debbie mentioned, for over we know,
• 4:24
  Speaker 1: at least over thirty years. I'm not sure if it
• 4:26
  Speaker 1: goes back further than that Debbie pasture, you know, taking
• 4:30
  Speaker 1: you know, the rains and riding through the Autumon Parade
• 4:34
  Speaker 1: festivals as you have been. This is the twenty twenty
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  Speaker 1: five edition. I'm not sure how far back do you know, Debbie,
• 4:41
  Speaker 1: how far back Autumon Parade does.
• 4:43
  Speaker 2: Automond Parade started in nineteen seventy, okay, and there is
• 4:47
  Speaker 2: a very interesting history there a handful of folks decided
• 4:51
  Speaker 2: to do something to highlight the community. It started out
• 4:55
  Speaker 2: with seven vendors on Third Street in Oregon and it
• 5:00
  Speaker 2: has blossomed into this. We now have a market of
• 5:04
  Speaker 2: two hundred plus booths, a full food court covering every
• 5:09
  Speaker 2: genre of food you can imagine. We have a fun zone,
• 5:14
  Speaker 2: attractor show and attractor parade, an auto show, fabulous parade.
• 5:20
  Speaker 2: It's the largest in Northern Illinois, so so many things.
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  Speaker 2: We've had an entertainment hotspot. Now this is our fifth year.
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  Speaker 2: It's awesome.
• 5:28
  Speaker 1: Yeah, and we are going to break down all of
• 5:31
  Speaker 1: these events for you today as we preview with our
• 5:33
  Speaker 1: dear friend Debbie Dixon from the automon Parade Committee the
• 5:35
  Speaker 1: twenty twenty five edition of Autumon Parade. Do we have
• 5:38
  Speaker 1: a team this year?
• 5:39
  Speaker 2: WI, We do carving creativity and we always look forward
• 5:44
  Speaker 2: to see what our parade entries are going to do
• 5:46
  Speaker 2: with that. Lots of fun happening that will be.
• 5:50
  Speaker 1: You know, that's kind of a direct link as WI,
• 5:53
  Speaker 1: but just mentioned to the parade itself because that's where
• 5:56
  Speaker 1: you're going to see. The theme used is in that
• 5:59
  Speaker 1: Autumnon Parade Festival Autumnd Parade Parade on Sunday, But we'll
• 6:04
  Speaker 1: get to that in just a bit. Debbie Dixon is
• 6:06
  Speaker 1: our guest. She is from the twenty twenty five Autumn Parade.
• 6:09
  Speaker 1: She's wrapping up her tenure with Autumnon Parade, handing the
• 6:11
  Speaker 1: baton over. As Debbie mentioned at the first part of
• 6:13
  Speaker 1: this program, to those that will be carrying on the
• 6:17
  Speaker 1: tradition after Debbie steps aside. But I gotta believe Debbie
• 6:22
  Speaker 1: Dixon won't be, you know, a stranger. I just have
• 6:26
  Speaker 1: that feeling.
• 6:27
  Speaker 2: I'm sorry, a strange won't be a stranger.
• 6:30
  Speaker 1: That's very That's right. Let's talk about the first day
• 6:35
  Speaker 1: of the event. Let's talk about Saturday's Autumn Parade festival
• 6:38
  Speaker 1: events and take the wraps off of it. As you mentioned, Debbie,
• 6:41
  Speaker 1: the marketplace is going to be a cram full of
• 6:44
  Speaker 1: vendors in the courthouse lawn area of the Ogle County Courthouse.
• 6:48
  Speaker 1: This is in central Oregon. This is right in the
• 6:50
  Speaker 1: heart of the community where most of this activity takes place. Anyway,
• 6:55
  Speaker 1: But again, you mentioned over two hundred vendors, Is that right?
• 6:58
  Speaker 2: Yeah, we have had two hundred booths right now and
• 7:02
  Speaker 2: we're cram packed. We're at mac Okay, the footprint is full, okay,
• 7:07
  Speaker 2: and we're very excited. I mean, our vendors are handmade, homemade, homegrown.
• 7:13
  Speaker 2: We work very hard to create that culture and maintain it,
• 7:18
  Speaker 2: so we hope that the folks will come out. You
• 7:20
  Speaker 2: will see everything from artisan crafting to home decord to
• 7:25
  Speaker 2: you know, handmade baby clothes, jewelry. There's a little bit
• 7:29
  Speaker 2: of everything for every palette. And you know, here we
• 7:32
  Speaker 2: are on the outskirts, I hate to say it, of
• 7:36
  Speaker 2: that great big holiday that's in front of us, and
• 7:39
  Speaker 2: you know, great time to start your stocking stuffers and
• 7:41
  Speaker 2: some of those little surprises that you like to send
• 7:44
  Speaker 2: off hither and far.
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  Speaker 1: Absolutely, people take advantage of this, they really do. They
• 7:50
  Speaker 1: take advantage of the fact that they stock up on
• 7:52
  Speaker 1: their holiday gifts by shopping at that craft area, the
• 7:56
  Speaker 1: marketplace area at Oregon's Autumn Parade. I know a lot
• 7:59
  Speaker 1: of people do that. And again that will open at
• 8:02
  Speaker 1: eight am on Saturday morning. This is one of the
• 8:05
  Speaker 1: first events correct w to get going during Autumnative Rats.
• 8:10
  Speaker 2: At the very same time, you will find the Auto
• 8:12
  Speaker 2: Classic across the river on the other side of the
• 8:16
  Speaker 2: river at Oregon Park East and the Tractor show loading
• 8:20
  Speaker 2: in all of their exhibitors, and so we do supply
• 8:24
  Speaker 2: a free shuttle on Saturday only that takes you over
• 8:27
  Speaker 2: to the Auto Classic and the tractor show, and that
• 8:31
  Speaker 2: will be up and running at nine am that leads
• 8:34
  Speaker 2: from the center of town. All of these things are
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  Speaker 2: easily find out able via our website Autumn on Parade
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  Speaker 2: dot com. We also have a huge Facebook following all
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  Speaker 2: of our informations there as well with link.
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  Speaker 1: All right, so we have a car show and a
• 8:51
  Speaker 1: tractor show across the river at Park East. This is
• 8:54
  Speaker 1: again conveniently located. You can take the shuttle. Is it
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  Speaker 1: a free shuttle?
• 9:00
  Speaker 2: The free shuttle compliments of Autumn on Parade and supported
• 9:04
  Speaker 2: by Rock River Center and our Village of Progress.
• 9:08
  Speaker 1: All right, So again again morning events include the Marketplace
• 9:13
  Speaker 1: at the Courthouse in Oregon and the car show and
• 9:17
  Speaker 1: tractor show at Park easton Oregon. Both all three of
• 9:20
  Speaker 1: these events start early in the morning, eight o'clock for
• 9:22
  Speaker 1: the car show, eight o'clock for the marketplace, nine o'clock
• 9:25
  Speaker 1: for the tractor show, and then we move into as
• 9:28
  Speaker 1: you mentioned, Debbie, other activities taking place on Saturday. Why
• 9:31
  Speaker 1: don't you run through that list for us. What's going on.
• 9:34
  Speaker 2: Well, let's talk about food. Everybody loves foods. We've got
• 9:39
  Speaker 2: some great food today. We're happy to have euros back,
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  Speaker 2: all right. There will be everything from Polus sausage to
• 9:50
  Speaker 2: Chicago dogs, steak sandwiches, cinnamon rolls, frozen ice, all sorts
• 9:57
  Speaker 2: of different bougie coffee beverages. Is the way I like
• 10:00
  Speaker 2: to put a pork chops Italian beef. There's If you
• 10:06
  Speaker 2: can't find it, then you're not hungry.
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  Speaker 1: And that's right next door to the marketplace.
• 10:10
  Speaker 2: Right that is correct, directly south on Jefferson Street, and
• 10:15
  Speaker 2: a lot of those vendors are up and running between
• 10:17
  Speaker 2: eight and nine am, so you'll be able to grab
• 10:20
  Speaker 2: your coffee, grab a little breakfast, fight, take a stroll around,
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  Speaker 2: and stop starting shopping early. We also will have a
• 10:27
  Speaker 2: fun zone, of course for the kids on both Saturday
• 10:31
  Speaker 2: and Sunday. Most of those activities start about ten am.
• 10:35
  Speaker 1: Okay, all right, and that will be located at the
• 10:38
  Speaker 1: municipal parking lot. Is that correct, Debbie?
• 10:40
  Speaker 2: That is correct? The one on Fifth Street, kind of
• 10:43
  Speaker 2: behind and adjacent to the coliseum. It's on Fifth Street.
• 10:48
  Speaker 2: And please note all of our listeners here today that
• 10:53
  Speaker 2: a good portion of Fifth Street is closed because that
• 10:56
  Speaker 2: is where the footprint of Autumn on Parade is. So
• 11:00
  Speaker 2: from Madison Street to Washington Street, Washington Street is Route
• 11:05
  Speaker 2: two and then hop across that intersection from Washington to Franklin.
• 11:10
  Speaker 2: Fifth Street is closed. There is no vehicle traffic for
• 11:14
  Speaker 2: the safety of course of our vendors and the public visiting.
• 11:19
  Speaker 2: And that's all a good thing because we fill it
• 11:21
  Speaker 2: up with great stuff.
• 11:22
  Speaker 1: Okay, I again, including that fund zone that Debbie just mentioned.
• 11:26
  Speaker 1: The kids will enjoy that. I mean, there's a lot
• 11:28
  Speaker 1: of activity. There's lots of different activities that the kids
• 11:31
  Speaker 1: can take part in. That starts at ten am. It
• 11:33
  Speaker 1: runs until five pm at that Fifth Street Municipal parking
• 11:36
  Speaker 1: lot area. And then as you mentioned too, Debbie, at
• 11:39
  Speaker 1: the top of the program, you mentioned the entertainment hotspot.
• 11:42
  Speaker 2: Oh yes, we've got some really excited folks out there
• 11:47
  Speaker 2: for this. At one o'clock. Corey Pepper, he is one
• 11:50
  Speaker 2: of our local folks, will entertain us with kind of
• 11:54
  Speaker 2: nineties rock pop alternative style for an hour at two
• 12:00
  Speaker 2: the from the Iowa Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Bowman,
• 12:04
  Speaker 2: Pickney and Evans. They will they do things like Eagles America,
• 12:10
  Speaker 2: Cosby Stills in Nash they've opened for people like Stevie
• 12:14
  Speaker 2: ray Vaum and Cheap Trick. So we are talking, we're
• 12:17
  Speaker 2: talking top quality entertainment here. And then at five pm, Hello,
• 12:24
  Speaker 2: everybody's going to be you know, hyped up for our
• 12:27
  Speaker 2: two Hype crew from five to seven pm. And this
• 12:31
  Speaker 2: is an adult beverage area, so please note that there
• 12:36
  Speaker 2: is a five dollars entry fee. Beverages for adults will
• 12:42
  Speaker 2: be available. There are no children allowed for the sake
• 12:45
  Speaker 2: of safety and regulations, so please note that and make
• 12:50
  Speaker 2: sure that you have your idea with you.
• 12:52
  Speaker 1: Okay, Right again, that entertainment zone at Hotpot Zone from
• 12:56
  Speaker 1: one until seven features great talent. That autumnat Bread is
• 12:59
  Speaker 1: lined for you on Saturday. This is just Saturday that
• 13:02
  Speaker 1: we're talking about again on Saturday in that entertainment hotspot
• 13:06
  Speaker 1: area of Autumn on Parade, a couple of other items
• 13:10
  Speaker 1: that we need to mention Debbie for Saturday. Of course,
• 13:12
  Speaker 1: Stronghold is open and you're taking shuttles out there too,
• 13:16
  Speaker 1: right to that area.
• 13:17
  Speaker 2: Yes, that there will be a shuttle that runs consistently
• 13:21
  Speaker 2: again Saturday, only we can't run shuttles on Sunday anywhere
• 13:25
  Speaker 2: because of the parade. So yeah, please check out if
• 13:28
  Speaker 2: you have not done a Stronghold my goodness, it's wonderful
• 13:32
  Speaker 2: up there. And once again, the vendors and the food
• 13:36
  Speaker 2: options they have and that opportunity to stroll through the
• 13:40
  Speaker 2: Stronghold Castle really amazing. If you've not done that, I
• 13:43
  Speaker 2: strongly suggest you do. Please do understand there is a
• 13:48
  Speaker 2: charge to do that, and so you will. That's something
• 13:52
  Speaker 2: separate handled by them once you get there.
• 13:54
  Speaker 1: Okay, but it's a beautiful area. It's just of course
• 13:57
  Speaker 1: to the north of Oregon, that Stronghold Castle area available
• 14:00
  Speaker 1: for visiting. And again shuttles will be running continuously on
• 14:03
  Speaker 1: Saturday into that area, so you can take advantage of
• 14:06
  Speaker 1: that through autumnon parade. And then you're going to line
• 14:09
  Speaker 1: up some tractors as I mentioned right w from Park
• 14:11
  Speaker 1: East back to downtown Dixon. Is that correct?
• 14:14
  Speaker 2: Yeah, we bring do. We do a tractor parade through
• 14:17
  Speaker 2: downtown Oregon, Illinois. It starts at four o'clock courtesy of
• 14:23
  Speaker 2: being a chaperoned by our police department to make sure
• 14:27
  Speaker 2: everybody is safe. And it's pretty cool to see all
• 14:32
  Speaker 2: of these antique tractors rumble through town. You know, we're
• 14:36
  Speaker 2: a farming community, and you know there is a lot
• 14:39
  Speaker 2: of egg in all of Ogle County and Dixon as
• 14:42
  Speaker 2: well in Lee County. We're surrounded by it. That's a
• 14:46
  Speaker 2: big heritage here in northern Illinois. We're very proud of
• 14:50
  Speaker 2: our farming community and they come out in the droves
• 14:53
  Speaker 2: to support this tractor show. And our chairperson of that
• 14:58
  Speaker 2: is stan Eden Law, longtime farming family in this community.
• 15:03
  Speaker 1: And again that will be marching across from Parkies the
• 15:07
  Speaker 1: location of the tractor show back into downtown Oregon. That
• 15:11
  Speaker 1: tractor parade will start at four pm. So note that
• 15:14
  Speaker 1: on the Autumn Parade schedule for Saturday, October the fourth,
• 15:17
  Speaker 1: Debbie Dixon is our guest. We've gone through Saturday events.
• 15:20
  Speaker 1: We need to touch on Sunday events. We're going to
• 15:22
  Speaker 1: do that after we take a short break for news
• 15:24
  Speaker 1: first at the bottom of the hour, but when we
• 15:25
  Speaker 1: come back, we'll go through Sunday, October fifth events. During
• 15:28
  Speaker 1: the twenty twenty five Autumn Parade Festival with Debbie Dixon
• 15:31
  Speaker 1: from the Autumn Parade Committee you're listening to Autumn, we
• 15:34
  Speaker 1: continue our conversation with our dear friend from the twenty
• 15:36
  Speaker 1: twenty five Autumn Parade Committee. Debbie Dixon is live with
• 15:39
  Speaker 1: us this morning to give us the preview of the
• 15:42
  Speaker 1: Oregon Festival this weekend, being held on Saturday, October the
• 15:45
  Speaker 1: fourth and Sunday October the fifth. Debbie, WI, thank you
• 15:48
  Speaker 1: so very much for joining us today.
• 15:49
  Speaker 2: Oh, it's my pleasure to be here again. Steve. It's
• 15:52
  Speaker 2: a great time.
• 15:53
  Speaker 1: Well, and it is a great time. It's always a
• 15:55
  Speaker 1: great time, and you gotta be smiling from that, whether
• 15:57
  Speaker 1: you know. I remember. I'miniscing through autumn parades with you
• 16:01
  Speaker 1: in the past, with which haven't been as cooperative weather
• 16:05
  Speaker 1: wise as we're looking at this year.
• 16:06
  Speaker 2: Yeah, we have really done bluff. Yeah, five years running
• 16:10
  Speaker 2: here for decent weather. You know, we had some big
• 16:13
  Speaker 2: wind last year, but we rise above it and you
• 16:15
  Speaker 2: push forward. We can't control the weather. All we do
• 16:18
  Speaker 2: is control our attitude and push forward. We are very lucky.
• 16:22
  Speaker 2: And the rule around here is you don't get to
• 16:24
  Speaker 2: use the four letter our word around Debbie starting September first,
• 16:32
  Speaker 2: I love.
• 16:32
  Speaker 1: It all right. That looks to be the case this year.
• 16:36
  Speaker 1: We are looking forward to again great weather and great
• 16:40
  Speaker 1: happenings in our Ogle County. Area, Oregon, Illinois is going
• 16:44
  Speaker 1: to be the centerpiece of autumnon parade for twenty twenty five.
• 16:47
  Speaker 1: As we talk now about Sunday, October fifth, we went
• 16:50
  Speaker 1: through pretty much all of that, did we We didn't
• 16:53
  Speaker 1: miss anything, did we w No, we did.
• 16:55
  Speaker 2: A good job on covering Saturday.
• 16:57
  Speaker 1: Okay, let's go to Sunday. Now, let's start with Sunday
• 16:59
  Speaker 1: and see starting things off once again as usual are
• 17:03
  Speaker 1: the usual suspects, so to speak, from Saturday into Sunday,
• 17:08
  Speaker 1: although we do have a couple of special activities. The breakfast.
• 17:12
  Speaker 1: We'll start things off at eight o'clock at the VFW.
• 17:15
  Speaker 2: Right. Yes, the VFW does a marvelous job with their
• 17:19
  Speaker 2: breakfast and it's a donation and those folks work so hard,
• 17:23
  Speaker 2: So please get out on Sunday morning and support our
• 17:27
  Speaker 2: local VFW. You will see large representation of all of
• 17:32
  Speaker 2: our military in our parade, which we'll kick off at
• 17:36
  Speaker 2: one o'clock.
• 17:37
  Speaker 1: We're going to talk about that in just a couple
• 17:39
  Speaker 1: of seconds here at WI Accent. But again, as we mentioned,
• 17:41
  Speaker 1: the usual suspects, the market The marketplace opens at nine
• 17:46
  Speaker 1: again taking place on the Courthouse Lawn the Central Oregon
• 17:49
  Speaker 1: Courthouse lawn area of the food court will get it
• 17:52
  Speaker 1: start at that nine o'clock hour as well. Debbie talked
• 17:54
  Speaker 1: about the delicious delicacies you're going to find all through
• 17:57
  Speaker 1: the day, all through the day at that food court,
• 18:00
  Speaker 1: I mean they serve all through the day. They run
• 18:02
  Speaker 1: from nine until five. And Stronghold will also be again
• 18:06
  Speaker 1: open during their again feature during Autumn Parade, so they'll
• 18:10
  Speaker 1: have that area open as well on Sunday, although as
• 18:14
  Speaker 1: Debbie mentioned in the first part of our talk line,
• 18:16
  Speaker 1: there will not be a shuttle on Sunday to Stronghold,
• 18:18
  Speaker 1: so you're gonna have to make your way to Stronghold
• 18:20
  Speaker 1: north of Oregon on your own that day if you
• 18:23
  Speaker 1: want to visit Stronghold from nine until five. You got
• 18:26
  Speaker 1: the fund Zone going on once again to the Kids'
• 18:28
  Speaker 1: Fund Zone going on again at ten o'clock at that
• 18:31
  Speaker 1: parking lot location. So a lot of great things for
• 18:34
  Speaker 1: the kids to do during that Sunday time as well
• 18:37
  Speaker 1: during that Fund Zone that they have opened. But the
• 18:40
  Speaker 1: centerpiece of Sunday's activities, as Debbie Dixon mentioned, is the parade. Debbie,
• 18:46
  Speaker 1: let's talk about the Harvest Time Parade for twenty twenty
• 18:49
  Speaker 1: five's Oregon Autumn Parade. Take us through what we need
• 18:54
  Speaker 1: to know about the parade this year.
• 18:56
  Speaker 2: Well, the first thing you need to know is get
• 18:57
  Speaker 2: yourself to town early, find a place in the park,
• 19:00
  Speaker 2: and snatch up your seating by bringing your lawn chairs
• 19:03
  Speaker 2: and or your blankets because we pack them five to
• 19:07
  Speaker 2: seven deep along that parade route, and we know the
• 19:11
  Speaker 2: kids I want to catch that candy. I will like
• 19:14
  Speaker 2: to put a warning out to all of the public,
• 19:18
  Speaker 2: just the appreciation that we have. When you keep your
• 19:20
  Speaker 2: children close to the curb, it's very difficult for the
• 19:24
  Speaker 2: units to perform in a safe fashion and give you
• 19:29
  Speaker 2: the bang for your free buck that you came, you know,
• 19:33
  Speaker 2: for the viewing of this fabulous parade. Our parade chairman
• 19:38
  Speaker 2: Destiny Benish fabulous. She does a wonderful job of putting
• 19:43
  Speaker 2: the parade together. It's a hard one, so many different
• 19:48
  Speaker 2: kinds of units, so many different things to be mindful of,
• 19:51
  Speaker 2: you know, keeping horses away from loud noises, et cetera,
• 19:55
  Speaker 2: et cetera. You know, accommodating last minute things, rearranging. But
• 19:59
  Speaker 2: we have a killer parade. It's really awesome, and so
• 20:06
  Speaker 2: we encourage everybody to come out early. Take your space,
• 20:09
  Speaker 2: grab some yummy food from our food court, and get
• 20:13
  Speaker 2: ready for what we consider the greatest show on earth.
• 20:16
  Speaker 2: John Illinois.
• 20:17
  Speaker 1: Absolutely, it steps off at one o'clock as usual. It
• 20:20
  Speaker 1: always has steps off at one o'clock. Is it taking
• 20:23
  Speaker 1: the regular route now, Debbie, that we've kind of established
• 20:26
  Speaker 1: for the last couple of years.
• 20:27
  Speaker 2: Now, That is correct. We are maintaining the reroute that
• 20:32
  Speaker 2: we did that we started a couple of years ago.
• 20:35
  Speaker 2: It's one big square and it goes reverse of the
• 20:40
  Speaker 2: way it used to go a few years back. There's
• 20:44
  Speaker 2: a reason for that. A lot of it has to
• 20:46
  Speaker 2: do with safety and the ability to get units in
• 20:50
  Speaker 2: in a much calmer Fashion's we have really cut out
• 20:56
  Speaker 2: the chaos and so lots of upper tunity for viewing
• 21:02
  Speaker 2: along this.
• 21:03
  Speaker 1: Route, and I think it's advantageous for you to do that.
• 21:06
  Speaker 1: I think it made a difference, It really did, and
• 21:08
  Speaker 1: it made an improvement in the parade route itself when
• 21:12
  Speaker 1: that change was made. But everybody's enjoyed it. I don't
• 21:14
  Speaker 1: think there's been a disappointment in doing that as far
• 21:18
  Speaker 1: as changing the route. But it is following the regular
• 21:20
  Speaker 1: route that it has the past couple of years through Oregon, Illinois.
• 21:24
  Speaker 1: So again stake your claim. Again, gets set for some
• 21:27
  Speaker 1: great exhibits, some great music. Like I said in years past,
• 21:34
  Speaker 1: the Harvest Time Parade is one of those parades that
• 21:37
  Speaker 1: takes advantage of inviting lots of bands in. You're gonna
• 21:40
  Speaker 1: hear a lot of high school bands because they're in school.
• 21:44
  Speaker 1: So you know, it's not like spring into summer and
• 21:47
  Speaker 1: summertime events where kids are out and you can't really
• 21:50
  Speaker 1: get that music from the marching bands. You get it
• 21:52
  Speaker 1: with autumn parades, Harvest Time Parade because the schools are in.
• 21:56
  Speaker 1: And this is what makes I think, Debbie, the Harvest
• 21:59
  Speaker 1: Time Parade unique from other parades that we.
• 22:01
  Speaker 2: Might be and I would agree with that. We do
• 22:04
  Speaker 2: a lot, We have a lot of youth group entries,
• 22:06
  Speaker 2: We have a lot of those high school marching bands
• 22:09
  Speaker 2: that you're referring to. And one of the things with
• 22:11
  Speaker 2: autumnon Parade, part of our mission is to be supporting
• 22:16
  Speaker 2: and spotlighting and educating and mentoring particularly our youth. And
• 22:23
  Speaker 2: right now I'm the slip in the fact that this
• 22:25
  Speaker 2: year we initiated something called the Junior Committee. So one
• 22:32
  Speaker 2: of the things you're going to see our shirts on
• 22:34
  Speaker 2: the backs of the youngsters that have been recruited and
• 22:39
  Speaker 2: they started helping us out on Sunday with the corn stalking.
• 22:43
  Speaker 2: You know, they are learning what is an event like
• 22:45
  Speaker 2: this about, what is it like to give back to
• 22:48
  Speaker 2: your community, because that's the way the world functions. You
• 22:52
  Speaker 2: help out your neighbor, you help out your community. And
• 22:55
  Speaker 2: these kids are hitting the ground running and we are
• 22:57
  Speaker 2: so proud to be able to support that effort well.
• 23:00
  Speaker 1: And these are the leaders. These are easier going to
• 23:03
  Speaker 1: be leaders, you know in years to come, hopefully, you know,
• 23:06
  Speaker 1: taking part in autumn parade festivals upcoming after they start
• 23:10
  Speaker 1: their work with the autumn parades currently running and moorph
• 23:15
  Speaker 1: their way as you mentioned, Debbie, into better things coming
• 23:20
  Speaker 1: again with more autumn parades scheduled in the future. So again,
• 23:24
  Speaker 1: that's great to know. That's a really neat thing that
• 23:26
  Speaker 1: Debbie mentions to us. The Harvest Time Parade though, starts
• 23:30
  Speaker 1: at one o'clock, steps off again and enjoy that. There'll
• 23:33
  Speaker 1: be a lot of fun, a lot of great exhibits,
• 23:36
  Speaker 1: a lot of great music again during that two hours
• 23:38
  Speaker 1: that the Harvest Time Parade steps its way through the
• 23:41
  Speaker 1: streets of Oregon, and that kind of culminates, right wie
• 23:44
  Speaker 1: the autumn parade for twenty.
• 23:46
  Speaker 2: Twenty five, then right, yes it does. I do always
• 23:52
  Speaker 2: want to slip in. We are so so grateful for
• 23:55
  Speaker 2: all of our local sponsorships without them, without folks like
• 24:01
  Speaker 2: ed At and Iron Company, Simcoe Martin and Company, Circle
• 24:07
  Speaker 2: G Farms, Fanish and Sons, you know some of our
• 24:11
  Speaker 2: bigger contributors at Woods Equipment Company, KSB. We're so so
• 24:19
  Speaker 2: blessed by the generosity of you know, whether it's dollars
• 24:24
  Speaker 2: or in kind contributions along the way. Every little component
• 24:29
  Speaker 2: makes this work. The services from the city, the county,
• 24:34
  Speaker 2: our Sheriff's department and affiliated law agencies, our ambulance and
• 24:41
  Speaker 2: fire departments, all of it. Without them, we have nothing.
• 24:46
  Speaker 2: Our park District. Everybody goes out of their way this
• 24:49
  Speaker 2: week and they're actually out there right now, boots on
• 24:52
  Speaker 2: the ground, making the early things happen. So we give
• 24:56
  Speaker 2: our huge things to them, as well as as those
• 25:00
  Speaker 2: volunteers that flap on that sure, roll up their sleeves
• 25:04
  Speaker 2: and do what is needed this week. I'm throughout the
• 25:07
  Speaker 2: course of the weekend our huge things to all of them, as.
• 25:11
  Speaker 1: Has Debbie Dixon over the last three decades plus working
• 25:15
  Speaker 1: with Autumn Parade and bringing us the great festivals that
• 25:18
  Speaker 1: we enjoy in our northern Illinois area. Debbie, it's been
• 25:21
  Speaker 1: a pleasure having you on board with yours truly here
• 25:24
  Speaker 1: at Wixon. We wish you the best again moving forward,
• 25:28
  Speaker 1: and we thank you so very much for again gracing
• 25:31
  Speaker 1: our airwaves and talking about the event. It's going to
• 25:33
  Speaker 1: be a fun one this weekend in Oregon, and we
• 25:35
  Speaker 1: appreciate you visiting with us this morning here at Wixen.
• 25:38
  Speaker 2: Thank you, Steve.
• 25:40
  Speaker 1: Debbie Dixon, one of the coordinators of the twenty twenty
• 25:42
  Speaker 1: five Autumn Parade Festival, has been our guest today on
• 25:45
  Speaker 1: the Tuesday morning talk line here