Ridge Road turned into Parma’s unofficial Main Street on Saturday, as the city’s bicentennial Fourth of July parade pulled in what officials say was one of the biggest crowds the suburb has ever seen. Led by hometown wrestling star Mike “The Miz” Mizanin, the procession ran about an hour and 20 minutes, with roughly 90 entrants and a 20-float competition keeping spectators glued to the curb.
Officials say turnout was massive
Parma police pegged the crowd at about 40,000 people, and Mayor Tim DeGeeter told Cleveland.com he had never seen anything like it on Ridge Road. That same account noted organizers nearly doubled the usual number of parade entries this year and that volunteers came close to running out of candy along the route.
Route, transit and the food-drive kickoff
The parade stepped off at 10 a.m. at Ridge and Snow roads, rolled south on Ridge Road, and wrapped up near the Parma Event Center and the Ridgewood Golf Course clubhouse. The Greater Cleveland RTA announced morning reroutes for Route 45 to clear the way. Local organizers also turned the parade into the official kickoff for the month-long Christmas-in-July food drive benefiting the Parma Hunger Center, with collection bins placed around the city after the event, according to transit alerts.
Hometown star led the way
Parma native Mike “The Miz” Mizanin rode point as grand marshal, appearing with his family on the lead float and greeting fans all along the route. Wrestling outlets and social media posts documented the homecoming, sharing shots of Mizanin and his wife Maryse taking in the scene from the moving float. PWMania and other aggregation coverage highlighted the appearance and the flurry of online reaction.
Floats, entrants and Parma tradition
City recreation officials say the parade typically draws about 45 entrants, but the bicentennial upgrade pushed that number to nearly 90, including around 20 floats competing for bragging rights. Parks director Mickey Vittardi noted that on a day like this, the parade fills all five lanes of Ridge Road, and Kristin Saban said city leaders intend to keep the beefed-up float tradition rolling in future years, according to Cleveland.com.
Ridgewood’s centennial and after-parade events
The procession ended near Ridgewood Golf Course, which the city has spotlighted for recently celebrating its 100th anniversary and for now housing the Ridgewood Golf Club & Event Center. Both the course and its event space were folded into Parma’s bicentennial programming in recreation materials. City of Parma documents detail Ridgewood’s recent upgrades and centennial offerings.
Organizers and what comes next
Parade organizer Chris Knebusch, who has been at the helm for 25 years, hit a milestone of his own as the record turnout doubled as a snapshot of Parma’s renewed appetite for neighborhood traditions and community fundraising. Organizers encouraged anyone with photos or details from the parade to share them with city social channels and local news outlets as the bicentennial celebration schedule rolls on through the summer, according to News 5.
