Catonsville Celebration

Story Ideas for Catonsville 2010 Parade and Fireworks

Catonsville residents are passionate about their July 4th traditions and to make sure they get a good seat for the parade, they begin setting up chairs the week before the holiday. Frederick Road is already lined with hundreds of chairs as of June 28, 2010. Great photo opportunity for live shots. Chairs can be seen from the1000 to1600 block of Frederick Road, 21228. Residents have to get their chairs out early as Catonsville will celebrate on July 3, 2010.

Catonsville is 200 years old – The theme of the 2010 parade is celebrating Catonsville’s 200th Birthday. Count on seeing lots of candles, birthday cakes, and tributes to the wonderful families that have made Catonsville what it is today! The parade begins at 3 p.m.

Our Grand Marshal is 170 years old! Not really, but we will be honoring Bernard Nolan, an Irishman who came to Catonsville in 1863 to work at Mt de Sales Academy (MDS). Generations of his descendents (Nolan-Burke line) settled in Catonsville and have made significant contributions to the community. They will be marching in the parade as the 2010 Grand Marshal. Go to www.catonsvillecelebrations.org to read the entire story. Bernard would be pleased that his great-great-great granddaughter will be in the freshman class at MDS this fall, a place where he was once a farmhand. Family members are available for interview by appointment.

How do mascots keep their cool in parades? Patriot Pete, the official mascot of the Catonsville parade, will demonstrate the use of ice packs and fans to keep him cool in a very hot costume. By appointment.

The Lone Ranger rides again! The Catonsville Parade will feature an authentic look-alike of the Lone Ranger and Silver. Every detail has been taken to make his appearance authentic, just like the original Lone Ranger. His Ranger suit, black mask, silver bullets, cowboy hat and black/silver holster complete with real silver six shooters have all been custom made. The saddle is a true western silver saddle from the cowboy era. For more information visit www.lonerangerfanclub.com/jr. Estimated time on parade route is 3:15 p.m. Montrose Avenue at Frederick Road.

One of the ways Catonsville attracts top notch marching bands is to feed them lunch. On July 2nd, dozens of volunteers will prepare 1,000 sandwiches to feed the bands at the Knights of Columbus, 1010 Frederick Rd. (10 a.m.)

2nd Annual Hot Dog Eating Contest at Duesenberg’s Café and Grill. A dozen contestants will vie for “Catonsville’s Biggest Weiner” trophy. Contest will be held on July 3rd at 10 Mellor Avenue at 1:30 p.m.

Producing a parade and fireworks show is expensive! The Catonsville Celebrations Committee’s budget will exceed $ 91,000. The fireworks and related expenses are $30,000. Few know that each of the 13 marching band in the parade charges an average of $2,000 each. To raise money this year, the committee is hosting a Fireworks Family Fest before the fireworks at Valley Road and Rolling Road at 6:30 p.m.

See how volunteers are raising the money in these tough economic times when prices are soaring. See how the “Catonsville Collectors” assist the parade every year by going door-to-door and collecting during the parade.

July 3rd is a great day for kids and that is especially true in Catonsville. Beginning at 9:30 a.m., kids will compete in traditional games and races for prizes. The annual bike decorating contest is a kid favorite. Great photo opportunity. Catonsville High School – Valley Road and Rolling Road.

Zaget Restaurant Guide proclaims Peggy Bailey, a waitress at Jennings Café in Catonsville, as Baltimore Best Waitress. Peggy, dressed in a elegant Independence Day gown, will be taking her annual ride down Frederick Road. It is a Catonsville tradition for her regular customers to call out their orders as she glides by. Peggy is available for interviews on Thursday July 1 and Friday July 2 and you can get a peek of her July 4th creation designed especially for the Catonsville parade.
For more information on these stories, go to www.catonsvillecelebrations.org. To set interviews, call Maureen at 443-326-5474.