Photo by George Lauby Along the route, 9 a.m. Saturday

Photo by George Lauby Steph, Evan and Ryan Dilley

Photo by George Lauby Wally Gale, Friday, 1:15 p.m.

Photo by George Lauby Nikki Wright with daughter Juliannah and Vanessa, 9.

The territories are marked and equipped along the parade route in Memorial Park, ready for the biggest parade in central and western Nebraska. There were no fisticuffs Friday when viewing places were marked.

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The grand marshals are Steve and Sharon Hambek, winners of the Dale Studley Award. Sharon was our Executive Director of Nebraskaland Days from 1992 to 2001, and Steve was a great volunteer, organizers say.

Senate candidate Bob Kerrey is a late addition to the lineup.

Viewing spots are marked out with string or paint, chairs are set up and many overhead shades have been erected.

None of that happened until 1 p.m. Friday. City workers restrained people from staking out their territory earlier in Memorial Park along the route. A few people arrived Friday morning and stood in their spot along the curb until they could mark it. At times, city workers asked them to stay behind the sidewalk.

The Dinkel and Wright families came at noon and put a blanket down in their traditional place, but a city worker made them move the blanket. So, they stood together on the spot until 1 p.m. After they marked their spot, they hung around at the park to play, parents and adults. Their youngest is 2-week-old Juliannah. It will be her first parade.

Stephanie Dilley and her two children Ryan and Evan arrived at 10:30 a.m. Dilley has attended every parade in her life. She’s 39 years old. Ryan and Evan said parade day is one their earliest and happiest memories.

Normally, Dilley stakes out her spot a few days in advance.

Wally Gale, 67, has staked out an place for the Gale family for four years. The head of an extended blended family, Gale helps oversee 20-30 children who watch from there.

Gale is not surprised that the city’s new policy.

“It’s getting to be pretty competitive,” he said.

But Gale said he’d never seen any trouble and everyone cooperates.

“We always let kids come in if asked,” he said. “That’s the way it should be. And if someone asks us to move over a little, we do. We’ve always shared.”

Dilley said the same thing.

“Sure, we let kids come in. It’s for the kids. That’s the way it belongs,” she said.