Riverside, a historic neighborhood on the near westside, will host its 100th parade at 11 a.m. on Sept. 6.
The parade is a tradition for back-to-school season, and the first one in 1925 started as a party to celebrate when the city finished paving Harding Street. An Indianapolis Star headline said, “Crowd Estimated at 10,000 Persons Frolics on New Surface.”
Riverside is a historic neighborhood with homes built in the early decades of the 1900s. It’s home to Riverside Park, with its 1 ½ mile promenade trail. The park hosts the annual BLACK: A Festival of Joy and Shakespeare plays at Taggart Memorial Amphitheatre.
For this year’s parade, grab a lawn chair and sit along the parade route, which starts at 2420 E. Riverside Drive and heads toward 18th Street.
After the parade winds down, the block party starts at 12:30 p.m. at the Riverside Community Center, 2420 E. Riverside Drive. There will be food and organizations offering information on health and job resources.
Careena Jackson, the president of the Riverside Civic League, helped plan this year’s parade. She grew up in Riverside in the 1990s, and remembers the music, the groups throwing candy to kids and waving at “dignitaries.” If you have questions about this year’s parade, email parade@riversidecivicleague.org.
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Careena Jackson is planning Riverside’s 100th parade
The neighborhood leader remembers getting free candy and waving to ‘dignitaries’ as a kid.
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