On October 4th, 2024, the Golden Fair Parade took place in Mears, including the Hart High School marching band and Spitler’s fourth graders, along with a number of tractors and vintage cars.
In 1864, Golden Township was officially organized. The first school district was founded in 1855, and in 1873, the village of Mears began. The first "Golden Fair Flower Carnival" was held in 1914. The township hall was the focus of activity at the time, and a fair was held for two days. Originally, the event included displays of produce, organized by the school children and shown in the town hall, as well as a meal served at either the school or at a church, which often included a program performed by the children. 110 years later, in 2024, this event is still celebrated, but instead of the traditional activities, all that's left today is an annual parade.
An important part of the parade is the children. The fourth grade class gets to be part of the parade with two students from that class becoming the focus, as they are named the Golden Fair Parade King and Queen.
The process for determining the King and Queen is quite simple: the students volunteer to put their names in a drawing, those names are then put into a lottery, and two names are drawn out: one for the King and one for the Queen. The lucky winners this year were Leo Arrendondo and Nayeli Torres.
Hart High School’s Senior Marching Band is a big part of many town parades, and that is no different for this little parade in Mears. This year at the Golden Fair Parade, they played “James Bond Theme,” one of the songs they performed at every halftime show during home varsity football competitions. When asked what her favorite part of the parade was, freshman Baileigh Klotz said, “The bus ride there was fun, and I really liked that the parade was short.” Emma Hopkins, also a freshman, explained her role in the band: “I started out playing the clarinet, but in 7th grade, I switched to the flute. I chose it because it seemed the easiest and the most fun to play.” The tradition of the Golden Fair Parade will hopefully continue on for many years to come, keeping the town’s history alive and allowing students the opportunity to be part of something special that they’ll remember for years to come.