Press release from the Three Rivers Festival:
Three Rivers Festival parade to celebrate city’s championship teams
(April 28, 2010) The theme for this year’s Fort Wayne Newspapers Three Rivers Festival is “Fun in the Sun,” but the opening PNC Parade could have a theme of its own: “We’re Number 1.”
That’s because both of Fort Wayne’s 2009 championship sports teams, the TinCaps and the Komets, will serve as honorary grand marshals of the 2010 Festival’s PNC Parade, which will be held Saturday, July 10, in downtown Fort Wayne.
Festival officials introduced the teams as grand marshals at a press conference on Wednesday at Parkview Field. Both teams won championships in their respective leagues in 2009—the Komets brought home the Turner Cup title last spring, and the TinCaps followed suit by winning the Midwest League title this past fall.
“It’s an absolute honor for everyone with the TinCaps to serve as grand marshal,” TinCaps General Manager Mike Nutter said. “The parade is a Festival institution, so we’re excited to have such a special role in it.”
“What a great day for the Komets organization,” team President Michael Franke said. “For us, the chance to help our community kick off this year’s Festival with another great parade is very exciting and memorable. Today’s announcement may even be a little extra inspiration for our team as we defend the Turner Cup in this year’s playoffs.”
Earlier this year, Festival officials announced the primary corporate sponsors of this year’s Three Rivers Festival parade, PNC Bank and Sweetwater Sound.
“PNC is proud to once again sponsor the Three Rivers Festival parade, and we’re looking forward to another outstanding and fun-filled event this year,” Susan Howey, community relations director for PNC’s Northeast Indiana region, said. “We are excited that fans in northeast Indiana will have the opportunity to cheer on our championship Komets and TinCaps teams as the grand marshals of this year’s PNC Parade.”
“2009 was a memorable year for our community’s sports fans, and Sweetwater is obviously very pleased to support the venerable Three Rivers Festival parade, especially with such celebrated grand marshals,” Chris Guerin, director of program development for Sweetwater Sound, added.
About the Three Rivers Festival
Founded in 1969, the Fort Wayne Newspapers Three Rivers Festival is Indiana’s second-largest summer festival and an annual 9-day celebration of Northeast Indiana. Events include a televised parade, a fine arts show, crafters’ market, children’s and senior’s mini-fests, live entertainment, food and beverage concessions, a home and lifestyle marketplace and a fireworks finale. Official Three Rivers Festival website.
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