The Junior Orange Bowl Committee (JOBC) is getting ready to host South Florida’s largest youth parade. The 62nd annual Junior Orange Bowl Parade will take place on Sunday, Jan. 2, 2011 at 4 p.m.
The parade includes marching bands, floats, live animals, and community groups, which gracefully frolic through the streets of Coral Gables in a dazzling spectacle. The Junior Orange Bowl Parade leaves a lasting impression for both those who participate and those who attend. It will be televised live on Coral Gables TV and WLRN will air an hour-long replay. This year’s theme is: “It’s a Jungle Out There!”
Some changes have been made to the parade this year. While traditionally it has been held in the evening, it now will take place on a Sunday afternoon. In addition to the time change, the parade route will follow a new pattern. Throughout recent history, the parade has begun at City Hall, marched westward down Miracle Mile, north on Ponce de Leon Boulevard and ended at Alhambra Circle. This year, the JOBC will be reversing the route, so that it begins at Alhambra Circle and ends just past the grandstands by Coral Gables City Hall.
“We feel that reversing the parade route will allow for more stationery performance time for each marching band — a continuous request we are happy to be able to implement this year,” said parade chair Pete Tolmach.
While the Junior Orange Bowl Parade is free to the public, grandstand tickets are being sold for those who want a premium seat at the beginning of the route. Grandstand tickets now are available and can be purchased online at www.jrorangebowl.org/parade or by calling 1-866-999-9735. Grandstand seats provide the best viewing angle for parade spectators and ticket-holders also are treated to a pre-parade show sponsored by Miami Children’s Hospital, which features a choreographed dance number. General admission tickets are being sold for $12 each and reserved premiere seating (VIP) for $22 each.
Parade goers will be able to enjoy everyone’s favorite monkey, Curious George — the 62nd annual parade grand marshal (courtesy of WBPT2). The Junior Orange Bowl Committee also is excited to announce its popular Float-Building Contest, where organizations compete to receive media acknowledgement and prizes.
For more information on how to enter the parade as a participant, contact the Junior Orange Bowl Office at 305-662-1210. For more information about the Junior Orange Bowl, call 305-662-1210 or visit the website at www.jrorangebowl.org.
