AJ News

By Adam Roberts aroberts@theabingtonjournal.com

CLARKS SUMMIT - The Clarks Summit Festival of Ice is coming to town on Thursday, Feb. 11, and as a way of beginning the festivities, a parade will travel down State Street.

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Re-enactors lead the 2009 parade.

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The parade, which will begin at 7 p.m. from Clarks Summit Elementary School and travel down State Street to the intersection with Highland Avenue, is in its second year.

“The theme behind the parade is welcoming the ice to town,” said co-chair Ed Shandra.

Shandra explained that the blocks of ice sponsored by Crystal Cabin Fever for the festival will be part of the parade. After the procession, the trucks will drop the blocks off at the carving locations around town.

There will also be a live carving on a truck during the parade.

Also participating in the circus-themed parade will be Frontier Communications, the Army National Guard, juggler Rob Smith, local fire departments, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins mascot Tux and more.

The junior ringmasters Grace Okrepkie, 9, Clarks Summit and Faith Bennett, 5, Clarks Summit will be part of the parade, riding on a fire truck.

Representative from the parade sponsor Citizens Savings Bank will also ride in the parade.

Shandra said that participants are still being added and anyone interested can go to the lineup at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday at Clarks Summit Elementary School.

This is the first year Citizens Savings Bank has sponsored the event, but they’ve been involved in the festival in the past.

“The festival is really surrounding our offices here in Clarks Summit,” said Lisa Bonacci, vice president of human resources and marketing for Citizens Savings Bank. “It’s a good way to be part of the community.”

Bonacci added that the bank saw sponsorship as the best way to increase their involvement with the festival.

Last year, the parade was attended by about 500 people, according to Shandra.

“Depending on the weather, I’d expect about the same,” said Shandra.

Surrounding the parade, a Family Fun Fest will be held at the Clarks Summit Borough building from 6 to 9 p.m. The event, which will be “two floors or fun,” will include storyteller Chris Arcangelo, juggler Rob Smith, face painting by Happy Faces, DJ Frankie Carll, make-it-take-it crafts with the Girl Scouts and a Times Leader photo booth.

The junior ring masters will also be announced around 7:30 p.m.