The Lovelock Frontiers Day parade is this Saturday morning. The paraders line up on Sixth Street by the community center between 8 and 9:30 a.m. At 10 a.m. they will proceed down Dartmouth Avenue to the courthouse park.
This year the parade honors Pershing County veterans. Longtime Lovelock resident Pat Patterson was going to be the Grand Marshal. The WWII Navy veteran served on LST-1028, which was torpedoed in the Battle of Lingayen Gulf in the Philippines. Later, he served on the battleship USS Nevada.
Sadly, he died this past March at the age of 98. His widow, Deanna Patterson, agreed to step up as Grand Marshal.
Whyte says the best spot for spectators is by the Post Office where Daniel Shaughnessy and Jon Damec will announce the goings-on. There will be a lot to see.
For starters, Sheriff Jerry Allen is bringing his mounted posse.
"We have three active members with a couple more who would like to assist," he says. "They will be in the parade and provide patrol support for the event."
The posse has helped with Search and Rescue in and outside of the county. They also take part in ceremonies but this will be their first Frontier Days parade.
Fallon's Silver State Star Drill Team plans to join the parade. So does the Fallon Horseman's Association. Expect to see some miniature horses and donkeys.
The Pershing County Senior Center and 4-H are also bringing floats. The fire department, Sparky and Smokey the Bear will be there too.
This is the seventh parade Whyte, 77, has organized. She also runs a small ranch and works part-time transporting seniors to medical appointments.
If spectating is not your thing, Whyte says it’s never too late to join the parade, even at the last minute.
“Just show up to the community center. We’ll have the forms ready for you to sign up. We’d love to have you,” she says.