Gallery: 56th Annual Diamond Valley Parade and Discovery Day brings in thousands

The annual Diamond Valley Parade brought thousands of people to the town of Black Diamond.

Mayor Barry Crane was excited to see all the eager people lined up and down the parade route.

"The 56th annual parade and then the 2nd annual for Diamond Valley and this is probably one of the most exciting events of the year. I mean Discovery Day that falls in Turner Valley is exceptional. Again, we've been blessed with great weather, and we can never, ever thank our volunteers enough. We've got a really good showing here today of participants, the Shriners of course, everyone, all our volunteer groups are in the parade, Council's walking, we've got dogs, we've got candy. It's just a great day and it's so good to have our First Nations here as well."

Members of Stoney Nakoda had a float in the parade.

The 56th annual event was also the second time since the towns of Black Diamond and Turner Valley amalgamated as Diamond Valley.

It all started with the pancake breakfast at Oilfields High School at 8:30 a.m. as the floats and entries assembled.

And starting right at 10 a.m. the floats were underway, and they had a slightly different route this year. Instead of going down Highway 22 as it has traditionally done it went down 1 Avenue SW.

Diamond Valley Mayor Barry Crane was ready to go with pails full of candy and his trusty sidekick 'Buddy'.

"My trusty dog the golden lab Buddy. He hangs out of my car as I drive around town. Every day I take him to work, and I thought I should put him in the parade with me in this 1975 Caprice Classic by Ed Wallace out of Longview and let him showboat."

Diamond Valley Mayor Barry Crane with his dog Buddy in a 1975 Caprice Classic (from Ed Wallace of Longview)

Thousands of smiling faces and eager kids lined up along the parade route as candy was tossed and gobbled up quickly.

And Okotoks' Brettyn Rose was singing some of her favourite songs atop the Calgary Stampede float.

"It is my first time in this parade, not my first time with the Calgary Stampede Promotions Committee but I'm so excited to be a part of this parade this year. This is my first one of the season and that's why I'm extra excited to be here this morning."

Okotoks' Brettyn Rose getting ready to sing on the Calgary Stampede float in the 2024 Diamond Valley Parade.

The parade lasted about 45 minutes and once it wrapped up everyone headed to Turner Valley for Discovery Day and the Family Festival.