This year we would like you to travel as far back in time as 1929 when The Virginian premiered on the big screen as one of the first well-known western "talkies", followed years later by box office hits such as : My Darling Clementine in 1946; Gunfight at the O.K. Corral and 3:10 to Yuma in 1957; The Sons of Katie Elder in 1965; Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid in 1969; and Cheyenne Social Club in 1970. Hit westerns appearing on TV included The Big Valley, Gunsmoke, The Rifleman, Wagon Train, The Lone Ranger, and Bonanza. The credit for the success of these shows is given entirely to the acting ability of the great western icons that stared in them - John Wayne, Henry Fonda, James Stewart, Clint Eastwood, Shirley Jones, James Arness, Amanda Blake, Lorne Greene and Michael Landon to name a few. Great western icons in the music industry include Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, Tammy Wynette, Loretty Lynn and Willie Nelson along with South Dakota's own great rodeo icons Kyle Evans, Casey Tibbs, and Billy Etbauer

The parade is being co-sponsored by the Regional Marketing Committee of the Mitchell Area Chamber of Commerce.

Awards will be given in these categories:

• All-around float
• Best use of theme
• Youth
• Antique
• Horse drawn
• Humorous
• Commercial
• Shrine
• Retail
• Equestrian

Parade entries are due by July 4, 2008!! Late entries may not be eligible for awards or announcements. For questions regarding the parade please call Laura Docken at 605-996-8171.