Great flamingoes! We Are Parma Proud’s Picnic in the Park returns Aug. 5

We Are Parma Proud’s Picnic in the Park is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Veterans Memorial Park. (Photo Courtesy of We Are Parma Proud) PARMA, Ohio -- Featured prominently in the We Are

We Are Parma Proud’s Picnic in the Park is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Veterans Memorial Park. (Photo Courtesy of We Are Parma Proud)

PARMA, Ohio -- Featured prominently in the We Are Parma Proud logo is a proud flamingo.

This year, the nonprofit is celebrating Parma’s unofficial mascot at its Picnic in the Park, scheduled from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday (Aug. 5) at a new location, Veterans Memorial Park.

Kicking off the event this year is a 10:30 a.m. flamingo-themed pet parade.

“Parma is known for its flamingoes,” said Ward 2 Councilwoman Deborah A. Lime, a We Are Parma Proud executive board member.

“Everybody seems to capitalize on it, so the idea was to get people with dogs involved.”

The free event also features food trucks, games for the kids (musical chairs, sack races) and live music.

“We get a good 1,000-plus people there,” she said.

“The only change this year is we’re not at Ridgewood Lake due to the construction. We’re at Veterans Park.”

In addition to participating nonprofits such as numerous PTAs, Operation Happy Pups and Ridgewood Garden Club, craft vendors will be selling art, candles, crochet, string art, coasters, jewelry, macramé, wood crafts, mini-resin figures and henna tattoos.

“We also freeze T-shirts,” Lime said. “One of the contests is you have to put that T-shirt on to win. That’s a huge hit.”

There’s also a hog-calling contest with Stearns Homestead.

“We Are Parma Proud is a close community partner that does a lot of stuff in conjunction with the city, so we want to be very supportive of the nonprofit,” Mayor Tim DeGeeter said.

As for the flamingo-themed pet parade, Lime won’t be entering her two dogs.

“I’m sure they’re relieved to hear that,” she laughed. “One would bark, the other would jump, so no thanks.”

That said, DeGeeter will be attending the flamingo fun.

“It’s my understanding I’ve agreed -- and I normally don’t -- to be one of the judges for that contest,” he said.

“I’m very hip to the flamingo, so I’ll be wearing my We Are Proud of Parma T-shirt and my flamingo hat. I’ll be decked out. I hope to see a lot of families there. The forecast looks pretty good.”

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Great flamingoes! We Are Parma Proud’s Picnic in the Park returns Aug. 5