La Crosse Tribune,
September 19, 2006 . . .
Royalty unveiled:
Oktoberfest parade
marshals say 'It's an
honor'
By Autumn Grooms
John Stokes has
read the names
of past Maple
Leaf Parade
Marshals on the
board at
Sloopy’s Alma
Mater tavern
over the years.
He never thought
he’d see his
name on that
board.
But that changed
Monday when
Stokes, a
retired La
Crosse Sheriff’s
Department
sergeant, was
announced as the
2006 Maple Leaf
Parade Marshal.
“It’s an honor.
I wasn’t
expecting it,”
said Stokes, who
has been
involved with
Oktoberfest for
25 years. “Those
names are pretty
important.”
Scott Erickson
will head the
Torchlight
Parade as its
2006 marshal.
John and
Leanne
Stokes
“It’s really a
nice honor to be
considered to do
this,” said
Erickson, 53. “I
grew up on the
North Side and
we watched
Torchlight as
young kids.”
Scott Erickson
will head the
Torchlight
Parade as its
2006 marshal.
Scott
and Mary
Erickson
“It’s really a
nice honor to be
considered to do
this,” said
Erickson, 53. “I
grew up on the
North Side and
we watched
Torchlight as
young kids.”
Erickson retired
from UPS in
1998, and is a
sales
representative
for Image World.
Other members of
the 2006
Oktoberfest
Royal Family
will be
announced in the
coming days
leading up to
the annual
festival that
begins Friday,
Sept. 29:
Miss La Crosse
Oktoberfest
scholarship
program, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Sept.
23, University
of Wisconsin-La
Crosse’s
Valhalla, $12
and a button.
Festmaster Ball,
5 p.m. Friday,
Sept. 29, La
Crosse Center,
advance tickets
only, $35 and a
button.
Oktoberfest
parades
The Maple Leaf
Parade will
begin at 10 a.m.
Saturday, Sept.
30.
The route is
from Clinton
Street and
Copeland Avenue
to the Causeway
to Grove Street,
past the
Oktoberfest
office and down
Second Street
before ending at
Second and King
streets.
The Torchlight
Parade starts at
7 p.m. Thursday,
Oct. 5. It will
head from Kane
and Gillette
streets south on
Caledonia Street
before ending at
St. James
Street.
