He Loves A Parade: Alum Eutsler co-chairs 500 Festival Parade for 30 years
(l to r) 500 Festival Parade Co-Chair Mark Eutsler, Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb, and Purdue University Director of Bands and Orchestras Professor Jay Gephart (now retired) in the staging area before the start of 63rd parade in 2019, when Purdue’s All-American Marching Band celebrated its centennial performing at the Indy 500. (Photo provided)
When the 70th Lucas Oil 500 Festival Parade steps off at noon in downtown Indianapolis on Saturday, May 23, alumnus and Education Engagement board member Mark Eutsler (MSEd Administration & Curriculum ’84) will be celebrating the 30th year he has co-chaired the parade.
Music educator Eutsler has attended the parade 47 times since 1980, volunteering with his wife Therese for 39 years. As a former director of bands at McCutcheon High School (Tippecanoe School Corporation) and a band and choir director at Frontier School Corporation (White County), Eutsler served on the parade’s Band Committee and after four years was offered the co-chair position.
With primary responsibility for hosting and escorting the parade’s marching bands, Eutsler noted that it is one of the “band-friendliest” in the country.
“We have awesome recruiting, communications, and arrangements for bands,” he said.
According to Eutsler, the parade takes place regardless of precipitation or temperature and is locally televised live as well as being streamed and recorded. Some of the behind-the-scenes components include medical first aide and triage stations, tow trucks at intersections in case of a float breakdown, public address announcers in every block for the guests who purchase seat tickets, TV zone rehearsals for opening productions, two-way radios, golf carts, Indy 500 driver logistics, public safety agency coordination for security and thousands of volunteers to ensure it all happens smoothly.
Eutsler has researched and compiled a list of all bands that have appeared in the parade.
“Bands from 43 states (including Hawaii) and 3 countries have appeared,” he said. “The stats are amazing. Since I’ve been co-chair, 510 bands, transported in 2,000 buses, with 51,000 students have appeared marching a pretty astonishing 275,400,000 steps! The parade band program has made a $32,640,000 economic impact on the Indy and central Indiana economy.”
What does Eutsler plan to do after the parade? Start planning the Wednesday afterward for the 71st parade!
About the Parade
The Lucas Oil 500 Festival Parade is one of the 500 Festival’s original events. It began in 1957 with four community leaders who recognized the need to create a special event further connecting the Indianapolis community and downtown to the Indianapolis 500. Over the past 60+ years, the 500 Festival has grown to become one of the largest festivals in the nation.
Source: Mark Eutsler