Arrows to Aerospace 2023 – Community Parade Set for Saturday

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The 52nd Annual Arrows to Aerospace Celebration begins this week, culminating with a parade and various family events at Washington Park. Once again all of the events are being organized by the Bellevue-Offutt Kiwanis Club. They have organized the Arrows to Aerospace parade and celebration for the past 35 years.

The parade is this Saturday, August 19th. It begins at 10am. The parade route starts near St. Mary’s Catholic Grade School at the ‘top’ of Mission Avenue and runs down all the way to Washington Park, taking a left at the intersection of Franklin and Mission.

There are currently around 80 entries for the 2023 parade, though Bellevue-Offutt Kiwanis Club President and Parade Chair Karen Mier indicated they are still working on confirmation from a few other possible participants. A complete listing of the confirmed entries can be found at the end of the article.

A couple of new entries this year promise to be fun including Bellevue’s Wandering Escape Room, and a trio of Haunted Houses from around the area including Eagle Hollow Scream Park, Madness Haunted House, and Sinister Sidney.

Arrows to Aerospace has traditionally been one of the best-attended events in the Bellevue community. Mier says they average around 8,000 people at the parade, with some years having a little more and others a little less.

The 2023 parade Grand Marshall is Jim Shada, Parks & Rec Director for the City of Bellevue. Shada was hired by the city in 1978, spending the last 36 years in the Parks & Recreation department. Mier said Shada was selected because of his very long career of dedication to the community, helping to plan, build, develop, and maintain our parks.

Parade entrants will compete in various categories, including Best in Community, Best Overall, Best in Business, Best in Church, and Best Performance. Last year’s winners in each category included: LIFE Runners (Best in Church), Bellevue Public Schools Hope Squad (Best in Community), FXB – Farrell’s (Best in Business), Kassebaum’s Martial Arts (Best Performance), and Tangier Shrine (Best Overall).

The 2023 Judges panel includes Brad Stueve, Coordinator of College and Career Education and Enrollment with Bellevue Public Schools; Rebecca Zurcher, owner of Erwin’s Jewelers Co; and Colonel Aaron Gray, Vice Commander of the 55th Wing, Offutt Air Force Base.

Other events offered throughout the day include a downhill mile race, free pony rides, bounce houses, boys and girls bike raffle, craft vendors, log cabin tours, cornhole and other games, and the Pancake Man and other food vendors. A complete listing of all of the events, along with their scheduled times can be found on the Arrows to Aerospace Parade Event Page: https://bellevuetimes.com/event/arrows-to-aerospace-2023-parade-celebration/

The overall celebration kicks off on Thursday, August 18th with an event at the Bellevue Public Library called The “Mad” Queen of the Prairies: The Frenzied First Years of the Nebraska Territory by Jeff Barnes. On Friday, August 19th the celebration continues at the Bellevue Senior Center with music, lunch, and bingo from 11am-3pm, while the Sarpy County Museum will be hosting the Great Sarpy County Quilt Exhibit from 10am-4pm.

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Alphabetical List of Confirmed Parade Entries

• American National Bank
• Announcers – Brian Walther and John Desjardins
• Apollo Heating & Air
• Arrow Towing
• The Beauty Room & Lash Studio
• Bellevue Dance Academy
• Bellevue East AFJROTC
• Bellevue East Chieftain Marching Band
• Bellevue East Spirit Squad
• Bellevue Fire Dept.
• Bellevue Food Pantry
• Bellevue Hope Squads
• Bellevue Junior Sports Association
• Bellevue Little Theatre
• Bellevue Masonic Lodge #325
• Bellevue Police Dept.
• Bellevue Royal Rangers
• Bellevue Swim Club
• Bellevue Walmart Supercenter #2847
• Bellevue West AFJROTC
• Bellevue West Cheerleading
• Bellevue West Color Guard
• Bellevue West Marching Band
• Bellevue West Thunderettes
• Bellevue Woman’s Club
• Bellevue-Offutt Kiwanis Club
• Blue Knights Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club, NE Chapter 2
• Care Home Team Real Estate
• Cherish Riding Association
• Christ the King Lutheran Church
• Church of the Holy Spirit
• Cobalt Credit Union
• Congressman Mike Flood
• Cub Scout Pack 483 / Scouts BSA
• Disabled American Veterans – William V. Brooks Chapter 47
• Eagle Hollow Scream Park
• Felix 4 Freedom
• First Presbyterian Church
• The Foster Kitten Project
• Fraternal Order of Eagles Bellevue Aerie #3912
• FXB Bellevue
• Gifford Farm ESU #3
• Girl Scouts Spirit of Nebraska
• Grand Marshal – Jim Shada
• Green Bellevue
• Heritage Ridge
• Hike Real Estate
• Hillcrest Health Services
• Innovate Physical Therapy
• Jazzercise Bellevue Fitness Center
• Knights of Columbus, Council 6192
• Lemm’s Quality Construction
• LIFE Runners
• Madness Haunted House
• Marine Corps League – Miguel Keith Detachment 609
• Mayor Rusty Hike
• Midlands Bible Baptist Church
• Military Order of the Purple Heart, Chapter 260
• Milt’s Mini Storage
• Nebraska Sierra Club
• Omaha Nursing and Rehabilitation Center
• Pete Ricketts for Senate
• Priority Family Services
• Richmont Terrace
• Sarpy County Democrats
• Sarpy County Republican Party
• Schram for Public Service Commission
• Scottish Society of Nebraska
• Senator Deb Fischer
• Sinister Sidney
• Skate City Bellevue
• Sokol South Omaha
• Spring Lake Boys and Girls Club of the Midlands
• St. Mary’s Cub Scout Pack 305 and Boy Scout Troop 305
• St. Mary’s School
• Star Realty, Inc.
• Teamwork Sports
• Troop 483 B&G / Scouts BSA
• Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 279 of Omaha
• Visiting Angels
• Wagon Wheel District – Boy Scouts of America
• Wandering Escape

Photos courtesy of Phil Davidson, City of Bellevue