5,280 feet in Naperville's Fling Mile, parade route
Participants in the Fling Mile and the Last Fling Labor Day Parade will follow roughly the same 5,280-foot route through downtown Naperville, but at different times on Monday morning.
As many as 350 runners in the milelong race will go first, followed by nearly 100 units in the Labor Day Parade. Here's a look at the race and parade that will have people running, walking, driving or Big-Wheeling along downtown Naperville streets this Labor Day, by the numbers.
• 9:15 a.m. will be the numbers on the clock when Fling Mile participants dash away from the starting line.
• About 350 runners participated last year, and the first 250 who signed up this year received commemorative T-shirts.
• Eight fast runners will receive cash prizes, and age group winners will be recognized in 12 categories starting with runners 6 and younger and ending with those 70 and older.
• 10 a.m. will be the numbers on the clock when the first units in the Labor Day Parade step off from Ogden Avenue and Mill Street.
“The theme this year is a celebration of military service,” said Melissa Hupp, the Last Fling's chairwoman of special events. “Most parade entries have embraced the spirit of this year's theme and will show their support for our troops.”
• Four streets are used by the parade, which heads south on Mill Street to Jefferson Avenue, where it turns east until Main Street, where the route heads south, then turns back west on Porter Avenue.
• The first 10 units marching in the parade are those with a special military focus.
• Naperville's nearly 20-year Mayor George Pradel, a retired Marine Cpl., will serve as the grand marshal.
“We thought we would honor him that way and also honor all our military heroes who serve to protect our country,” Hupp said.