From ancient oil equipment to alpacas and an organ grinder, the
American Refining Group’s 125th anniversary parade had it all.

Winding down Main Street on a sun-splashed Thursday afternoon,
thousands of locals and visitors lined the city streets and
rooftops of buildings to watch the kick-off event for ARG’s
anniversary celebration, which will spill into the next two days at
various locations across town.

At 90 units long, the hour-long parade was the largest the city
has seen in recent years and featured the history of oil, local
civic groups and organizations, area fire departments and the
Bradford Area High School Marching Band, among others.

Those in attendance seemed to agree the parade was spectacular –
children hungrily grasped for pieces of candy thrown from the
parade units, as a cornucopia of men, women and children stood by
and clapped as the units passed.

Leading off the parade where members of local Bob Scout troops,
followed quickly behind by members of the military, including Jamie
Himes Dana and her dog Rex.

ARG Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Harry Halloran and
President and Chief Operating Officer Harvey Golubock then took in
the gratitude of the audience, waving to those on each side of the
street while riding in bright-colored vehicles.

Also taking part were other members of the ARG family, including
those in the Quarter Century Club and “The Future of ARG,” which
featured children of company employees.

The traditional strains of “African Symphony” then wafted
through the air, as the Bradford High band streamed through led by
the banner B-R-A-D-F-O-R-D in the customary red and black colors of
the school.

Nearing the crux of the parade, the history of oil and all its
trappings began to be displayed – featuring antique engines from
1885 and 1910 to pumping jacks and modern day drilling devices and
trucks.

Those in attendance could easily decipher the smell of crude
emanating from the devices, which appeared in rather good
condition. A chorus of pings, blips and bangs could also be heard
as the mechanisms were brought to life in a virtual historical
display of the rough and tumble industry.

Also among those displaying their wares were scores of local and
out-of-town businesses associated with ARG and its operations.

Cleverly, the units were intermixed throughout the proceedings;
at one point, a string of fire departments across the region would
roar by with their hulking engines, only to be followed closely
behind by the Grave Digger Monster Truck complete with a skull and
haunted house painted on its side.

Adding to the festive atmosphere were a handful of canines from
the McKean County SPCA and the always popular Shriner’s Zem Zem
cars, which whizzed closely by those lining the street, performing
“circle 8” patterns and other stunts in close synchronization.

Meanwhile, numerous cheerleaders, Girl Scouts and Brownies, the
Zippo car, George G. Blaisdell’s famous limo and the John Kohler
Zippo Racing Team, Red Hat Society women, Street Dreams Car Club,
go carts, McKean County Fair Queen Rachel Gustafson, McKean County
ATV Club, the Dive and Rescue Team (DART) and a group of alpaca
from Kendall Creek Farms rounded out the display.