Planning for next year’s parade will start early

<p>This year's Butter & Egg Days Parade was much different from years past, although it might not have appeared so to people at the parade Saturday.</p><p>This year's event relied heavily on donations and volunteers from the community, as earlier this year parade organizers learned that the city's normal contribution to the parade — of police, paramedics, and other staff free of cost — would not be coming through to due the budget crisis.</p><p>The Petaluma Downtown Association, which organizes the event, launched a fund-raising effort in January to make up for the $25,000 gap in the $90,000 event, and the day was as successful as ever.</p><p>“Many people really value this parade,” said Marie McCusker, executive director of the downtown association. “The community stepped up and sponsors stepped up.”</p><p>Over the next few weeks, the downtown association will look over its finances for this year's parade and see whether it came out ahead.</p><p>“Either way, it was a fabulous day,” said McCusker.</p><p> While McCusker said she is optimistic that the economy will turn around and city funding will return, she will plan ahead to seek donations earlier before next year's parade.</p><p>“We're completely committed to keeping it up,” she said.</p><p>Contact Philip Riley at philip.riley@arguscourier.com)</p>