Heritagefest 2002 concludes Drum corps thrill

fest parade-watchers

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- A handful of drum corps performers drew the most applause from thousands of Heritagefest parade viewers Sunday afternoon.

Many spectators watched the 135-unit, 90-minute parade with a patriotic theme from underneath tents with large fans that helped keep them cool in the sweltering heat and humidity. Some parade units also helped keep people cool by passing out cold cans of soda and freeze pops.

The parade had the expected polka and high school marching bands, the Minnesota Over 60 Band, queens and princesses, the Concord Singers, antique cars and tractors and politicians.

Carol and Charlie Mills of Crosby attended Heritagefest for the first time. They enjoyed the parade under the Rosen Tent at the Festgrounds.

"We heard about Heritagefest from some friends while we were camping at Jordan," Carol said.

The Mills said they came to Heritagefest for German food, Schell's beer and dancing as well as visits to the Glockenspiel, downtown New Ulm and Schell's Brewery.

"We've been to New Ulm several times before," Charlie said. "They really did a nice job with downtown New Ulm. We really enjoy watching the Glockenspiel. Anytime we go south of St. Cloud on Highway 15, we usually stop at New Ulm because we're hungry and thirsty by the time we're here."

Charlie has a collection of more than 200 beer steins, a hobby that caused him to add a room to his house so he could display them. He bought several steins in New Ulm this weekend.

Carol appreciated being able to watch the parade from underneath the festgrounds tent.

"It's perfect," she said.

Minnesota Democratic gubernatorial candidate Roger Moe was unable to attend the parade due to severe weather in northern Minnesota, Brown County DFL officials said.

Republican candidate for Lt. Governor Carol Molnau drove a 1948 Allis Chalmers antique tractor in the parade. Molnau and her husband recently sold their farm near Chaska and are moving to another farm near Bernadotte.

Molnau said she felt right at home on the tractor.

"I can rip a field, combine, drive a twin-screw or do whatever needs to be done," Molnau said. "It's fun to be here. People are very friendly."

Richard Wilbrecht of New Ulm, who helped organize the parade along with Don Wendel and Michelle Brand, began parade preparation in January when invitations were mailed.

Considered the area parade expert, Wilbrecht has been organizing the parade for 28 years. He holds workshops and seminars on how to put on a parade in New Ulm and Brooklyn Park for the Minnesota Festivals and Events Association.

The parade lineup is determined between March and June when participants are sorted out.

With the parade centered in patriotism due to the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorism events, Wilbrecht hoped to get officials from The Pentagon and New York City Police and Fire Departments.

Wilbrecht inquired with those entities and found out it was difficult for them to fulfill them all because they get so many invitations to public events.

The Parade Grand Marshal was Major General Eugene R. Andreotti, Adjutant General for the State of Minnesota. He is Gov. Jesse Ventura's Military Chief of Staff, commanding more than 13,000 members of the Minnesota Air and Army National Guard.

Wilbrecht said he got lots of help with parade organization from the likes of Florian Schnobrich, Jerry Hamann, Randy and Ted Arndt, Herb Ranweiler, Pat and Les Helget, Keith Lipinski, Curt and Dawn Winkler and Jerry Janni. Schnobrich and Ranweiler have been working with the Heritagefest and Polka Day parades for more than 50 years.

Now that the parade is over, Wilbrecht and his colleagues will sit back and compile positive and negative comments on the event and begin planning for next year's parade.