Oktoberfest parade raises $8K, 10,000 lbs of food for food bank

The annual Thanksgiving Day parade raised 10,083 pounds of food and $8,117 in cash for The Food Bank of Waterloo Region.

Food and money is collected along the parade route, which ran Monday morning from downtown Kitchener, along Weber Street to Bridgeport Road in Waterloo.

The food bank's CEO Wendi Campbell said every year she's "impressed with how our community comes together to help those in need."

Winning floats

The parade is part of K-W Oktoberfest. It's estimated 150,000 people lined the parade route to watch this year's display, which included marching bands, floats, clowns and dancers.

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The floats are judged by a panel, and this year, the Old Lady in a Shoe float sponsored by PolarFoam Dimilec took first place.

Other awards included:

• Harvest Award (2nd Place) KWO Experience Keg Tapping Team.
• Sponsors' Award (3rd Place) Pirate Ship sponsored by Fear Farm.
• Twin Cities Award (Best Spirit/Enthusiasm) German Clubs of K-W, Princesses in a Carriage.
• Hans & Frieda Award (Use of Animation) Region of Waterloo.
• Miss Oktoberfest Award (Best Visual) Schneiders Float sponsored by Maple Leaf Foods.
• Wunderbar Award (Community Involvement) Pumpkin Float sponsored by Snyder's Family Farm.
• Piller's Gemuetlichkeit Float Award (Most Gemuetlichkeit) Pirate Ship sponsored by Fear Farm.