Floats, celebs fill downtown streets

By Brian Sargent

Published: October 15, 2007

A grand event celebrating Oklahoma's first 100 years of statehood paraded through downtown streets of the capital city on Sunday.

The centennial parade in Oklahoma City was filled with more than 3,400 participants from all areas of the state including 11 professionally designed floats, 13 giant helium-filled balloons, 12 high school and college marching bands and seven animal groups.

"Rocket Man” Dan Schlund flew over the "Happy Birthday Oklahoma,” float during the finale with his 165-pound Rocketbelt.

He propelled through the air for 30 seconds before landing on an Oklahoma Centennial logo painted on the street and unveiling a state flag he carried with him. Schlund, the only licensed jet pack operator in the United States, popped out of the birthday package aboard the "Oklahoma Rising” float in the 2007 Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, Calif.

"It's just been a pleasure being a mascot here for Oklahoma rising. What a great way to end this by doing this parade in Oklahoma City, when you can actually come to Oklahoma and see the people of Oklahoma and their smiling faces,” Schlund said.

Aboard the "Happy Birthday Oklahoma” float on Sunday were Miss Black Oklahoma 2007 Tinasha Williams, Miss Black Oklahoma USA 2007 Brittany Carradine and Miss Oklahoma 2007 Makenna Smith.

Members of the Edmond Memorial, Moore and Westmoore high schools' pom squads performed a routine during the finale.

The two-hour parade started at Hudson and Sheridan avenues before ending at NW 8 and Broadway Avenue.

A five-minute elaborate introductory number kicked off the parade.

It featured a singing by Oklahoma's five living Miss Americas, Jane Jayroe (1967), Susan Powell (1981), Shawntel Smith (1996), Jennifer Berry (2006) and Lauren Nelson (2007).

There were performances by the Oklahoma All*Star Centennial Band, Oklahoma City University's American Spirit Dance Company and Eagle Sky Dancers. Sports notables Johnny Bench, Bobby Murcer, Steve Owens, Billy Sims, John Smith, Eddie Sutton and Jason White also had a role in the opener.

Emmy Award-winning actor James Garner, a Norman native, and Nelson, a Lawton native, were grand marshals.

The procession stopped for musical numbers performed by Oklahomans, including the Byron Berline Band, Ty England, Katrina Elam and Bryan White, who sang the aptly themed "Dust Bowl Dreams.”

Smith and Gooden interviewed celebrities during the parade's live broadcast on OETA.

About 175,000 paradegoers lined the 1½-mile route. Parade organizers said 25,000 people watched from inside hotels, parking garages and downtown buildings, where private parties were held.

As president of OK Events — a subsidiary of Oklahoma City-based Ackerman McQueen and the planning arm for the parade — Lee Allan Smith has overseen nearly every detail of the 4-year planning process.

Smith said Sunday he looked forward to sitting down and enjoying the parade.

Parade creative director Stephen Dahlem was a perfect match for the parade.

He's a Fairview native, was the creative director of the 2002 Capitol Dome dedication and is the creative director of next months' Centennial Spectacular.

"As a hometown boy, this makes me so proud and honored to be a part of it,” Dahlem said.

"The people in the telecast zone were so excited to see everything. They couldn't believe something this size and this big was coming down the street. I'm sort of stunned it happened. I can't wait to see it on TV.”

The parade comes in advance of Statehood Day on Nov. 16.

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