The Disney parade in Goderich

Goderich Mayor Deb Shewfelt said "Wow! What a day?!" after Mickey's Hometown Parade came to town and entertained 50,000 visitors on July 24, 1999. Deb (right) and Mickey take time out for a photo.

By: David Yates

“Wow! What a day!” enthused Mayor Deb Shewfelt on July 24 when asked what he thought of the Disney Parade held in Goderich that day.

Indeed, it was a signal event as it was the first and only Canadian city by the Disney Company for that honour. Yet, the town only had a few weeks to prepare for the onslaught of visitors and give Mickey a rousing reception befitting the world’s most famous mouse.

“May 31, 1999, was indeed an enchanted day for me,” said Chamber of Commerce Chair Doug Fines. It was the date that Goderich learned it had been chosen to host one of six Mickey’s Hometown Parades.

As Goderich was the first and only Canadian town that was awarded the honour, the town felt an especial responsibility to guarantee a good reception for Mickey and company.

Goderich was chosen among hundreds of towns and cities across North American based on the

strength of Fines’ submission. The video contest was sponsored by Disney Canada and Wal-Mart Canada.

Fines and helpers Peter Lane, Dr. Tom Jasper and Gerry Hilgendorf were based on the strength of the imaginings of a young boy writing to Mickey about the town’s assets. From Mickey and Dumbo flying into Sky Harbour Airport to the Square, on the harbour and beaches the imaginary boy gave Mickey a tour and promised Mickey that “you will enjoy your visit to our small town.” It was a standout submission and won Goderich the parade.

At a meeting in late June, representatives of the Disney Company met with town and chamber representatives to officially award the Disney parade. The second part of the meeting was working out logistical details between the Disney people and the town. There was nothing “Mickey Mouse” about the Disney’s logistics people.

The Disney Company told the town what they were going to do and what their requirements from the town were. The only question was, could the town meet them?

Disney need nor have worried. Almost immediately, Disney Central at the town hall fielded phone calls from far and wide. Disney selected the local performers who were to be in the parade. Among those hand-picked by Disney were 14 members of Rob Bundy’s Livery amateur troupe, the Pastures Project.

Three days out from the parade, Bundy said they had read all the Disney information but were not sure what exactly they would be doing. Yet, despite not knowing precisely what they were to do, Keith King, of the Pastures Project spoke for all when he said he was not sure what he was doing but was “thrilled, I’ve always been a big Disney fan.”

Volunteer coordinator Councillor Ellen Connelly reported to the Goderich Signal Star an “overflow of volunteers has helped make it easier to co-ordinate the local portion of the parade. Connelly ‘pegged’ the number of volunteers at 400 people with the phones at the town hall still ringing with the names of volunteers.

The human resources of the entire town were conscripted as churches, service clubs, Legion and individuals volunteered to provide volunteers for everything from parking shuttles to staffing food booths or locals willing to carry banners in the parade.

It grew to become more than just a parade. It was a chance to “illustrate the town’s potential” according to Blake Patterson, Signal Star reporter.  Every effort was made to make the visitors feel like welcome guests.

Patterson editorialized that “Mickey’s Hometown Parade will only be as good as we choose to make it. The success of the event is not Disney’s responsibility—it’s ours.”

About 40 OPP constables augmented by local cadets and auxiliary members were detailed to Goderich for security and traffic control in anticipation of 30,000 visitors (in the event, there were over 50,000). The Communities in Bloom Committee and Town work crews readied the boulevards and flower beds so that the town’s horticultural splendour was out in full.

Many believed the Disney Hometown Parade was awarded to Goderich in honour of Disney’s Huron County roots. Walt Disney’s ancestors settled around 1848 near Holmesville; Disney’s grandfather worked the Discovery Salt Well while his son Elias attended the Central School (now the Huron County Museum).

Walt Disney returned to visit the Central School and visited Helen Videan’s class in 1947. He also visited Peter Cantelon, his second cousin, who lived on Lighthouse Street before heading down Highway #8 to visit Laithwaite’s Apple Park and stopped at the Holmesville school before departing back home.

Although there is no truth to the myth that Disney designed his Hometown, USA at Disneyland in California after the Goderich Square, a more solid connection with the Disney Corporation was the participation of the famed Disney Wagon in the parade. The Disney Wagon was built by Bayfield wagon maker, Tom Penhale, in 1983 and was given pride near the parade’s start as a nod to Disney’s local connection.

By Friday evening, the town was as ready as it ever would be. Something which surprised one town councillor was the thousands of campers on the Square reserving a good spot to watch the parade. All area hotels, BnBs, and campgrounds and restaurants were full.

Buses shuttled thousands from pre-designated parking on the outskirts of town to the parade route. On the morning of the parade, tens of thousands lined the parade route. The Disney parade had more than just local interest.

On Parade Day, exactly as scheduled, at 9:15 a.m., Disney’s Hometown parade marched out of the old Canadian Tire parking lot on the Huron Road to begin the trek up Kingston Street around the Square to Montreal Street where Disney handlers broke up the floats, collapsed the giant balloons and with military precision loaded them onto trucks and moved to the next town. It was a seamless operation conducted by experienced Disney hands.

Highlights of the parade, beside the Disney wagon, were ‘Town Barker’ Doug Fines, who had made the town’s submission was in the lead car.  Hundreds of Disney dancers and performers were here from Disneyland in California. They put on a once in a lifetime spectacle.

In keeping with Disney’s Hometown theme, the parade had an ‘old-timey’ themed parade with participants dressed in nostalgic 1920s and ‘30s costumes. The stock Disney characters, Mickey, Goofy, Pluto, Daisy Duck, etc. walked along the parade route stopping to thrill young children.

The whole performance complete with giant Mickey Mouse and Goofy floats took only 20 minutes pass but local detachments of the Circle City Cruizers, local pipe bands, the Rotary BBQ, beaches and tall ships in the harbour kept visitors entertained for the rest of the day.

Within an hour of the parade’s passing, the barricades were down, roads were opened, Sgt. Gary Martin of the OPP was ‘thrilled’ by the “level of tolerance shown at the parade.” The hospital and St. John’s Ambulance service reported only a few minor scrapes that required treatment; and only two lost children were reported at Command Centre for separated children at Robert Evans Chev Old on Kingston Street.

In the parade’s aftermath, Disney officials praised Goderich’s efforts. One Disney representative said the co-operation between the town and Disney could not have been better.

It was a glorious day for the Town of Goderich. In some ways, more than the parade itself, Mickey brought ‘hometown spirit’ to the town as Goderich residents came together to put on a show. It may have been the best part of the event.