Watch out for little red cars - Shriners to hold grande parade at convention in Niagara Falls

They say everyone loves a parade!

The Niagara Shrine Club is organizing its annual convention this year in Niagara Falls, on behalf of Rameses Shriners, the central Ontario headquarters for Shriners from Guelph to Kingston and up to the James Bay coast.

In a news release, the Shriners said the the four-day convention from June 6 to 9 includes:

• On Thursday, June 6 a flag-raising ceremony at City Hall at 10:30 a.m., and a business meeting Thursday evening. The City has proclaimed the week, Shriners Week.  
• On Saturday, June 8 the Shriners are planning along with the Niagara Parks a 1-hour parade starting at 1 p.m. down the Niagara Parkway from Upper Rapid Drive to Chippawa. It will include approximately 30 Shriner parade units from all over central Ontario.

The Shriners say they are hoping to bring awareness to their 20 Shriners children's treatment centres and hospitals for children.

The centres provide world-class, leading-edge orthopedic and burn treatment (and other medical specialties) for children, regardless of their family's ability to pay for them. The centres also are involved with leading-edge research in these fields to advance the science for all other medical practitioners.

This is an annual convention, and the Shriners and their families expect to reserve up to 700 to 800 hotel nights in Niagara Falls, the club said.

They also expect significant shopping and other activities in the city and area. This will be the fifth ceremonial they have brought to Niagara with an economic impact of over $1 million.