Jackson Rose Festival cancels 2024 parade
Organizers of the Jackson Rose Festival have cancelled the 2024 parade because they couldn’t get enough groups and businesses to participate this year.
The annual event – one of Jackson’s larger ones – had been scheduled for Sunday, June 2nd with a circus theme. A Facebook posting promised “a spectacular celebration of color, creativity, and community spirit.”
Parade committee member Jim Francis said the organizers normally hope for around 100 groups and businesses to take part. He said that last year, some people mentioned how short the parade seemed with only 63 entries.
As of today, with the event just a couple of weeks away, Francis said only 33 businesses and groups had applied.
“There’s less of an appetite for organizations and businesses to take the time, spend the money, or build a float,” he said.
The festival’s website says this year is the 66th year of the celebration. It says the rose was selected as the city’s official flower in 1931 and that the first parade took place in 1958.
Francis says fewer and fewer groups have wanted to get involved since COVID hit.
The cancellation, as of now, is just for 2024.
“We are hoping we can come back better next year,” Francis said.
He’s also welcoming anyone who wants to commit to help reviving the event to send a message through the festival’s website.
The decision does not affect other aspects of the festival or the reign of Queen Emilie Burkhart.
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