Earlier this month, County 10 chatted with “Lander Pirate Parade 2020” organizers Rachel Good and Hunter Brewer about their plans for “taking over Lander’s Main Street” on July 4th. In working with the City, Fire Department, Police Department, and a few other Lander-area residents the plan up until today, June 25th, was to have this be a Friday Night Cruise style event where roads were not shut down and all traffic laws would be obeyed.
Hunter shared the permit has been approved and it’s an official parade as of this morning. While this is exciting news, the spirit of it remains the same: a safe, fun, family-friendly event for the community. The now four organizers reiterated this is not any kind of protest; folks are encouraged to watch the parade if they so choose and to use their discretion for social distancing; the top priority is safety.
In order to mitigate risks where possible, they are asking that candy not be distributed, no water balloons, and no water guns. This is also the first year Fremont County Firefighters will be able to enjoy their families on the 4th of July, so there will not be a water fight at the end of the parade.
Currently, the route down Main Street will be from Baldwin Creek to 2nd Street and will start at 10:00 am.
With the 4th right around the corner, additional volunteers are needed to help for a multitude of things. If you are interested in volunteering, please message the Lander Pirate Parade 2020 Facebook page. You can also send a message to the same group if you would like to be in the parade.
This coming Saturday, June 27th, organizers and anyone who would like to help (or go hang out) are invited to a bonfire at Frye Lake. Organizers are planning to be there after dinner at around 6:30 pm. They won’t be providing any food or drinks, but you are welcome to bring snacks, s’mores fixins’ or whatever you’d like. This is an opportunity to get everyone together beforehand. If you can’t make it on Saturday, they do plan to have another meeting possibly on the 3rd or the morning of the 4th.
County 10 will keep you updated on plans as they continue to come together over the next week. You can also stay up-to-date by joining their Facebook group (link shared above).
It is also important to note that Governor Gordon has permitted parades under the updated health orders released on June 10th.