Rocket car to be in Labor Day parade

EepyBird prepares to launch the Coke Zero & Mentos Rocket Car piloted by Fritz Grobe. The candy-and-soda-powered car will be in the Buckfield Labor Day parade Monday.

- Submitted photo

BUCKFIELD — The Coke Zero & Mentos Rocket Car invented by the Buckfield duo Fritz Grobe and Stephen Voltz will be featured in the town's Labor Day parade, event organizer Diana Rowe announced Tuesday night.

The two men, who entertain around the world as Eepybird, will fit right in with this year's Super Heroes theme.

Their soda-and-candy-powered rocket car debuted on the Internet on June 1 and was featured on "The Late Show with David Lettterman" on June 29. Letterman drove the car down West 53rd St. next to his Broadway theater.

That experiment was almost four years to the day that they performed another on the Letterman show by dropping Mentos candies into 2-liter bottles of Diet Coke, setting off seet, foamy geysers.

They've harnessed that same energy to power the rocket car. It was unclear Tuesday, if they will power up the car on Labor Day, or simply put it in the procession for people to see.

Also in the parade will be the Buckfield Junior/Senior High School Band, majorettes, firetrucks, Kora Shriners Crazy Cops, antique cars, floats and Santa Claus. Equestrians and bicycle riders will participate as well.

After the parade, the village field will have gift and food booths, pies from the East Sumner Congregational Church and produce from the high school garden.

FDX, a local classic rock band, will perform on the field. The jailhouse will be operating and Faith Bible Church will have a children's activity.

The annual Duck Race will be held at noon, and ducks may be purchased for $5. Prizes of $100, $50 and $25 will be awarded.

Parade participants are to gather at the high school at 9 a.m., and bicycle riders at the Legion Hall at 9:30 a.m. The parade will start at 10 a.m. at the high school.

For more information, contact Diana Rowe at 336-2311