Hundreds of people, Lehigh Acres residents and out-of-towners, have attended nightly events this week at the 38th annual Lehigh Acres Spring Festival. One of the largest crowds ever turned out last Friday night to the opening ceremonies of the nine-day event.

In addition to children performing on the stage, the annual Bubble Gum Blowing Contest was held. As many as 20 youngsters chewed gum and tried to blow bubbles.

The climax to the festival comes on Saturday at 11 a.m. when the gala parade begins its trek down Homestead Rd. from Beth Stacey Blvd. to an area near Veterans Park. Thousands are expected to line the route and prizes will be given away at the park.

On Friday night, the person who raised the most money for the local chamber and other charities, will be named honorary mayor of Lehigh Acres. A deputy honorary mayor and a deputy city clerk will also be named. Four people have entered the race to become honorary mayor for 2012.

Andy Reisinger, chairman of the group which has planned the festival is also and has been chairman of the parade for 10 years.

Reisinger said the deadline has passed for entrants to the parade. He also noted that those entering the parade line up beginning at 8:30 a.m. behind the Lehigh Post Office on S. Loop Blvd.

“The sheriff’s office close Homestead Rd. at 10:30 a.m., so parade watchers should come early to get a favorite spot along the roadway. The judges’ stand will be in front of SunTrust Bank like in previous years,” Reisinger said. Vicki Culver and Danny Stephenson are expected again to emcee the event as the parade passes the judges’ stand.

“We’re having a first ever thing to happen during the parade this year, – the marriage of two Lehigh residents during the parade,” he said.

This year’s parade marshal is Liz Eilf, who is the president of the Lehigh Regional Medical Center Auxiliary. She spent several years as head of Lehigh Community Services and has been active in other activities in the community,” Reisinger said.

Eilf has been a resident of Lehigh for 38 years. She has been president of the Optimist Club which worked with children and the “Just Say No To Drugs.” She has belonged to the Lee County Drug Coalition, the Spring Festival Committee, the Lehigh Acres Planning Council, active with Relay for Life, a member of the St. Raphael Fall Festival and Viva Lehigh.

But her favorite time, she said, was when she served as executive director of Lehigh Community Services for 18 years.

The Greater Lehigh Chamber of Commerce has selected the Pioneer Family to ride in the parade. Such an honor is given to those who have lived in Lehigh for several years. This year, Blair Stitt, a volunteer with the Chamber, will ride in an open convertible.

He and his wife, Marilyn, bought their first lot in Lehigh in 1956 through a TV commercial for $10 down and $10 a month.

They first visited Lehigh during Christmas in 1962.

“I killed a rattlesnake on 10th St. We bought another lot on Eisenhower Blvd.,” he said. On a vacation from Hawaii in 1990, Stitt said they looked at existing homes and bought a home on Greenwood Ave. They went back to Hawaii; he retired again, and they moved to the Greenwood address in January of 1991. Today he lives in the Pinewood Condo community. His wife is disabled and is a resident of Winkler Court Nursing Home.

Reisinger said there will be bands marching in the parade both the Lehigh Senior High School and the East Lee County High School.

He cautioned those in the parade not to throw candy to the many children along the route and also cautioned parents to keep their children away from moving vehicles in the parade.

“People walking can pass out candy during the route. We just don’t want anyone hurt with candy being hurled through the air,” he said.

“Everyone should be mindful that because of the huge parade, downtown area streets will be closing. That is why folks should arrive early along Homestead Rd.,” he said.

After the parade, a full day of activities and entertainment is planned at Veterans Park. Thousands are expected to fill the park for the day.