INNISFAIL – Once again a steady rain threatened.
But just before start time on the morning of June 14, the few drops that fell intermittently stopped completely.
With an Innisfail RCMP cruiser leading the way, the show was on for the Innisfail Rotary Pro Rodeo Parade, held every year on the Saturday of Innisfail’s rodeo weekend to coincide with the Daines Ranch Pro Rodeo.
And Dani Rain, the Rotary Club of Innisfail’s parade coordinator, could not be happier.
Not only did the weather hold up but it’s believed the 2025 parade may have been the longest ever, with a record number of registrants.
“We had a record-breaking number of registrants this year with 66,” said Rain, noting the parade’s length was also noteworthy at an estimated time of one hour and 15 minutes.
“Quite a few companies had one and even three vehicles with them, so it ended up being a super long parade. It was one of the longest parades I've ever done.”
And the annual event may also have had a record number of candies tossed to the kids, and the biggest and most unique float ever.
Doug Bos, co-owner of Discovery Wildlife Park, brought one of his three giant sized animatronic dinosaurs that arrived in town last week from the Calgary Zoo.
As it rolled down Main Street on a flatbed truck, there were plenty of oohs and ahhs for the 40-ft. long, 15-ft. tall and 3,000 lb. Tyrannosaurus rex, the meat-eating prehistoric beast that once roamed menacingly across Alberta.
“We just thought it would be fun to be the only dinosaur in a parade, probably in Alberta, or anywhere, this big anyway,” said Bos.
And at the other end of the scale there was a parade entry that may have been the smallest but also the most heartfelt.
Innisfail’s Jerry Gibbons wanted to enter a sled in the parade pulled by an Alaskan Malamute named Kayla and Miska, a Siberian Husky.
The two sled dogs, both five-years-old, were all set up to give Red Deer’s seven-year-old Nile Froese and his big 10-year-old brother Enver a very special ride.
Nile has spinal muscular atrophy.
It is a genetic disorder impacting motor neurons in the spinal cord that can be serious for children, particularly in its most severe forms, as it can be life-threatening.
Nile is permanently dependent on a wheelchair for mobility.
“We had Nile overnight at our house, and he was very excited about this parade, the opportunity to be in a parade without his wheelchair with some beautiful dogs,” said the boys’ grandmother Anita Viergutz. “It was very special for him.”
Gibbons met the family during last December’s CPKC Holiday Train visit to Innisfail, and he later proposed giving Nile a special sled ride for his first-ever parade.
“We randomly met, and I texted them and asked them if they wanted to do this, and course, they jumped at it, and here we are,” said Gibbons.
And Nile and Enver thoroughly enjoyed themselves on the parade.
Kayla and Miska did their dog sledding jobs expertly.
The crowd was joyous, especially children chasing down tossed candies.
Innisfail’s 2025 parade was considered a smash hit by many, boosting spirits despite the ongoing threat of rain and today’s uncertain world.
“There's a motto that says, ‘think globally, but act locally.’ Although there may be polarization in the world, we believe in person-to-person connection here in our small town,” said local community builder Bill Hoppins, a parade volunteer.
I believe in Innisfail and any event that brings the community together, we want to be part of it,” he added. “Innisfail has been good to us, and we want to give back.”
“This is a wonderful celebration of who Innisfail is, a great place to live, work and play.”
