Grand Parade

Date: Saturday October 25th

Time: 11:00am

The two hour long Grand Parade will start at the corner of Penn and Chestnut. It proceeds from Memorial Hall south on Main St. east to Sixth St., south one block to Maple where it turns west to Ninth St. The final leg travels north on Ninth St. ending just short of the Independence Middle School. The Grand Parade is exceedingly well attended. Parade goers set up chairs on the front row in the wee hours of the morning on parade day. There are free street acts, the carnival, and food concessions along Penn Ave. both before and after the Neewollah Grand Parade.

**Please Note** Political persons permitted to ride in the parade are those persons holding office whose district includes Montgomery County and its contiguous Kansas counties. There are no exceptions to this policy. Additionally under no uncertain terms will any political election/re-election campaign advertising be allowed on the dignitary or his/her staff member. The dignitary must be present the day of the parade; stand-ins will not be allowed.

Neewollah Generalissimo Mindy Blackard announces the 2025 Grand Parade Marshal, Drew Demo.

Drew Demo is proud to be the 2025 Grand Marshal for the Neewollah Grand Parade. He has been a part of the festival since soon after moving to

Independence in 1977. He’s been on numerous committees but is probably best known for bringing the Budweiser Clydesdales several times. Being the “Bud Man” enabled him to bring other promotional displays and special events to town. Drew worked behind the stage in several Neewollah musicals before he caught the “bug” to perform. He was in Peter Pan, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and his feature role as Mayor of Munchkin Land in the Wizard of Oz. He was Generalissimo in 2007 and DooDah King in 2012. Drew retired from Demo Distributors in 2022 but stays busy as the Junior Warden of the Church of Epiphany, Episcopal, board member and building supervisor at The Independence Historical Museum and Arts Center, a Mason and Shriner and in the Krazy Karts parade unit. He helps manage Demo Storage and helps when needed with his wife’s sign business. He enjoys spending time with his buddies playing golf, taking trips with the investment group and being “Papa” to his four grandchildren: Cooper, Diem, Ryanne and Vivienne. He and his wife Janet have three children: Courtnee, Andrew and Paige.

The Grand Parade will be held Saturday, October 25th at 11:00 a.m. The Grand Parade will start at the corner of Penn Avenue and Chestnut. It proceeds from Memorial Hall south on Main Street, east to Sixth Street, south one block to Maple where it turns west to Ninth Street. The final leg travels north on Ninth Street ending just short of Independence Middle School.