Armed Forces Day Parade float registration open

Adrian O'Hanlon III, McAlester News-Capital, Okla.
·3 min read

Apr. 10—Organizers of the 2021 Armed Forces Day Parade recently opened float registration and ask participants to get creative with red, white and blue decorations and other ways to highlight the parade's theme — the 30th anniversary of Operation Desert Storm.

"We want this to honor Desert Storm veterans and their families because this is a big deal," Armed Forces Day Chairman Jeff Wolf said.

Wolf said the parade will honor the 30th anniversary of Operation Desert Storm — when McAlester-based 445th Military Police Company of the Oklahoma National Guard was deployed to the Middle East.

This year's Armed Forces Day Parade in McAlester is set to start at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 1 — but the deadline to register a float for the parade is 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 27.

Anyone interested in registering for the parade must fill out a form available at the McAlester Chamber of Commerce at 312 E. Choctaw Ave. by 5 p.m. April 27. Any late entries will be at the end of the float line.

Participants must include on the form the description of the float — including the number of walkers, number and type of animals, number and length of vehicles and trailers, and more.

The form must also include the organization's name and the daytime phone and email of the best contact.

Participants can also include a special announcement request on the form. The form also includes a parade waiver.

Online registration is available at https://mcalester.org/armed-forces-day-parade-2021/.

More information on parade float registration is available by calling 918-423-2550. The event also has a Facebook page called McAlester Armed Forces Day Parade.

Floats will start lining up at 8 a.m. at along A Street. Check in will be in the parking lot of Diamond Trophy & Engraving at 7 N. A St.

The parade will travel east on Carl Albert Parkway from A Street to Fifth Street, then turn right on Fifth Street and turn right on Choctaw Avenue before ending at the intersection of Choctaw Avenue and Main Street.

Organizers said ATVs, motorcycles and similar vehicles must turn off engines after lining up and requested no burn outs.

Candy and other items must not be thrown during the parade, but can be handed to individuals.

Organizers canceled the 2020 Armed Forces Day Parade due to COVID-19 concerns but Wolf said the city of McAlester, the McAlester Area Chamber of Commerce, McAlester Main Street, the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant and others involved agreed to host the event this year with some changes.

There will not be an Armed Forces Day Banquet at McAAP — but the McAlester News-Capital has agreed to livestream the keynote address by U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 5 Matt Fitter on April 30.

Fitter is a helicopter pilot at Shaw Air Force Base in North Carolina and will be parade marshal.

Wolf said the event will not include a fly-in so the focus can be on events in downtown McAlester.

Organizers believe the parade route allows enough room for attendees to follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations of staying 6 feet away from others to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Contact Adrian O'Hanlon III at aohanlon@mcalesternews.com.