Cutie Parade Kicks Off 2023 Mermaid Festival
Carson Cotton waves to his fans.
Text and Photos
By Marissa Sweatland
InkFreeNews
NORTH WEBSTER — The 77th annual Mermaid Festival was kicked off last night, Wednesday, June 21, with the annual cutie parade.
The sky was bright blue, sun was shining and the breeze made it the perfect evening to watch a parade and drink a lemon shakeup. Life really is better in North Webster, this year’s festival theme.
Community members lined the sidewalks of Main Street to show support for their favorite cutie. Forty-nine cuties walked, rode or were pulled in the parade.
The judges have their work cut out for them, as the cuties were very creative and imaginative; each cutie showcasing their life and love for North Webster. The parade winners will be announced during the Cutie Contest.
Love for North Webster, of course, looks different for every cutie. Spectators saw cuties representing their favorite hobbies, favorite stores and restaurants, and their families.
The Cutie Contest will take place 7 p.m. Friday, June 23, in the North Webster Community Center, 301 N. Main Street.
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- Laura Stump, Mentone Elementary teacher, kicks off the Cutie Parade by singing the National Anthem.
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- Adley Risedorph unveiled her 2039 to do list. Her list includes becoming a Boilermaker.
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- Lincoln Granger gives the winning answers to what makes life better in North Webster.
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- Mallory Maynard was a big hit in her homemade duck ride.
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- Sadie Thomas shows her love for local ice creameries.
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- Hattie Cavender smiles, as she makes everyone in the audience crave an elephant ear.
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- Gabriel Perkins cheeses for the judges.
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- Rhys Granger made “Lions” North Webster’s word of the day.
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- Henry Beer is drawn by his father, Jason Beer.
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- Phinneus DuBois throws his buried treasure to the crowd.
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- Lanie Owens drives her boat float, as her little brother tubes behind her.
