Indiana’s Teacher of the Year will be Street Fair Opening Night parade’s grand marshal
By DAVE SCHULTZ
Maybe she was the logical choice because of the high honor she’s brought to Wells County during the past year.
Maybe it’s in her genetic makeup.
Whatever caused it, Bluffton High School teacher Tara Cocanower is the grand marshal of the 2023 Bluffton Free Street Fair Opening Night Parade on Sept. 19. The fair runs Sept. 19 through Sept. 23.
Cocanower’s past year has been somewhat of a whirlwind as she was named Indiana’s Teacher of the Year and has represented her hometown, and her profession, in that capacity. Yet when her meeting with the members of the BHS girls’ golf team Monday was interrupted by an unexpected announcement, Cocanower’s eyes lit up. This was a special event.
“I’m a Bluffton native,” she said. Referencing her high school years, she said, “If I didn’t have a golf match, we were at the fair. I love the Street Fair parade. My parents have helped run the pancake booth for 15 years. The Street Fair is a Bluffton staple.”
Referring to her husband, Geoff, who was on hand for Monday’s announcement, she said, “When he married me, he learned very quickly that I’m a Street Fair person.”
She’s not the first member of her family to ride in the seat of honor in the Opening Night Parade. Her grandfather, Mick Ulmer, was the Street Fair Opening Night parade’s grand marshal in 1995. He was the potentate of the Mizpah Temple in Fort Wayne that year and his hometown honored him as well.
Now, it’s the granddaughter’s turn.
“Thank you, Tara, for being a passionate educator and day maker to the youth of Wells County and beyond,” the proclamation presented to her Monday said.
“At the end of the day, the Street Fair is about community,’ Cocanower said. “It’s a big deal, because it’s about community.”
daves@news-banner.com
