Dogwood Parade Award Winners Announced

Another Dogwood Festival weekend is in the books and the weather was fantastic especially for the Dogwood Festival Parade. Thousands of people lined the parade route to watch some 120 plus entries go down Maine Street. The Quincy Area Chamber of Commerce, organizers for the parade, also select winners of awards for Dogwood Parade floats. 

Those floats are judged by Chamber staff on the use of the parade theme, which was “#Team-Quincy”.  Other criteria are appealing to the eyes, creativity and originality, quality of workmanship, and use of people. The Mary Lou Kent Theme Award is for the float with the best use of the parade theme. The Governor’s Award goes to a float that’s larger than 10 feet in length and uses the theme, and the Mayor’s Award goes to a float that’s 10 feet in length or shorter and uses the theme. Here are the winning floats:

MARY LOU KENT THEME AWARD:  2 X 4’s For Hope                                                   The float featured a truck pulling a flatbed with a vintage bus, a “Potty Like It’s 1969” outhouse, a stack of 2 x 4’s called “Our Woodstack” as a play on Woodstock, and walkers wearing vintage vehicles with the names of areas they serve. 2 x 4’s for Hope is a global nonprofit based in Quincy with the sole objective to provide shelter. They provide 2 x 4’s for Habitat for Humanity, tiny homes for veterans, and do global missions to Haiti to help provide shelter, clean water, and sanitation programs.

GOVERNOR’S AWARD:  The Cab-Nightclub                                                                  The float was a semi featuring colorfully decorated with rainbows and balloons, and featured performers in themed attire.

MAYOR'S AWARD:    Aire-Serv of Quincy                                                                       The float featured a depiction of the Apollo moon landing on July 20, 1969, and the music that was played were songs about the moon.

This year’s parade was sponsored by Blessing Health System and Gates-Air.