Grand marshal pick remains a mystery

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Residents of Silver Bay and Beaver Bay will banter about who the grand marshal is for this year’s Silver Bay-Beaver Bay Days parade but only one person knows for sure — and she isn’t talking.

Carol Youngberg, the parade coordinator, refuses to tell anyone who the grand marshal is before the parade. It’s her tradition.

“People aren’t supposed to know until the parade starts,” she said. “It’s a very big honor to lead the parade.”

The lineup begins at noon Saturday.

She did say she looks for the traits of community involvement, what they do for students and schools, and the generosity of time and support for the community.

Even Dave Gustafson, director of Silver Bay-Beaver Bays, doesn’t know. “That’s Carol’s thing,” he said. “It kind of surprises everybody.”

Gustafson said the first year it was a little “weird” but apparently the mystery grows on people. Youngberg said people had asked her the first year about who the grand marshal would be but now they know better.

Youngberg, who has been directing parades for 40 years, said this is the way she has always done things. She said she got the idea from watching parades many years ago where no one knew who the grand marshal would be. It adds some intrigue to the event, she said.

Last year Bill Ylatupa was the grand marshal. He was instrumental in organizing a record setting ATV parade in Silver Bay. “He’s done a lot for this town,” Youngberg said. She said grand marshals are given a two-week notice before the parade so they can prepare.

Tags: two harbors, news, bay days, silver bay, parade