Crystal Beach says goodbye to Old Man Summer with annual parade

A typical funeral doesn’t involve people dressed in costumes throwing candy at onlookers, laughing and having a great time.

But that’s what the annual end of summer parade in Crystal Beach entails, a tradition started in the 1960s by American cottagers.

In its earliest days, Old Man Summer’s death was symbolized by a coffin being carried out into the waters at the beach and set on sire.

It’s been decades since the parade concluded this way, but it’s spooky and odd themes remain in place.

“I’m so in love with the community keeping the nostalgia in it,” said parade chair Jerry Pequeen, also a member of Friends of Crystal Beach, the group that took over the event in recent years.

Pequeen’s wife’s family, from Western New York, bought their cottage in Crystal Beach in the 1950s when she was five years old.

He fondly recalled when the end of summer parade first took place many years ago.

“The summer ended and this place kind of went dead,” said Pequeen, noting that Crystal Beach now remains active year round even after seasonal U.S. residents head back over the Peace Bridge.

“We know things are changing,” he said, adding that it’s important to keep the parade’s history alive with references to things such as the Crystal Beach Amusement Park, which closed in the 1980s.

There were about 35 entries in the parade on Saturday, consisting of classic cars, businesses, community organizations, politicians, and more.

Toronto resident Danny Marks could be found watching the parade along Ridgeway Road, who used to come to the area as a kid and still visits regularly in the summer.

“It’s very familiar to us,” he said. “We just love everything about it.”

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