Keeping tradition: Ricker’s black Cadillac leads Glen Arbor Fourth of July Parade

Ed Ricker (right, wearing hat) drives last year’s parade marshal, centenarian Jim Dorsey, in the 2024 Glen Arbor Fourth of July parade. Photo by Jacob Kurtz

From staff reports

Ed Ricker has driven the grand marshal in Glen Arbor’s Fourth of July parade in his iconic 1976 black Cadillac for decades.

This year, Glen Arbor Township has bestowed the honor of grand marshal on Ricker, himself. The owner of Glen Lodge, pride of Miami University (Ohio) and longtime fixture at Art’s Tavern, passed away under tragic circumstances last November. Ricker was 95.

Former Art’s owner Tim Barr will drive the Cadillac; Ricker’s daughter, Glen Lake Chamber president Darci will ride next to him and hand out “Ed heads”—popsicle sticks with cutout pictures of her father’s head glued to them.

Glen Arbor’s annual community parade, which attracts thousands along M-109 and M-22, gathers in Glen Haven at 10:30 a.m. Volunteer parade staff will line up vehicles. The Fourth of July parade, which arrives in Glen Arbor at noon, is open to anyone who wants to join, with a few caveats and rules. No water activities are allowed during the parade, according to Township officials. “For the safety and comfort of everyone attending, we ask that you do not bring or use water guns, blasters, balloons, bottles, or other water items during the parade.”

Those walking in the parade, including the Elvises, the Kazoo Corps, the Leelanau Democrats, and the Glen Arbor Sun team tossing rolled-up newspapers to the crowd, depart from Forest Haven Rd near the Christian Science Church.

Keeping tradition, Ricker’s black Cadillac will lead the parade, with Tim Barr at the wheel. Barr, himself an iconic presence in Glen Arbor, sold Art’s to Barb and Paul Olson in early June. For years, Barr managed the busy corner of M-22 and Lake Street during the parade, donating brooms and keeping the street in front of Art’s clear of candy thrown from vehicles to keep kids safe along the route.

“I saw Tim at Empire Asparagus Festival a couple weeks ago,” said Darci. “Even though he was retired from Art’s, he was sitting at Art’s table serving deep-fried asparagus. I told him, ‘You may not want to be anywhere near the parade, but I’d be honored if you would drive the Cadillac.’ He thought about it and said he’d be honored. Tim had a special relationship with my dad.”

Ed Ricker was born the day before “Black Tuesday” when the stock market crashed in 1929. Raised by his grandparents and aunts, he received his B.A. from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, (he was a fraternity brother with legendary University of Michigan football coach Bo Schembechler) and his M.A. in Education from University of Cincinnati. He met his wife Elaine at Miami.

After serving in the Marines, Ricker worked for Kroger Company in Cincinnati, MacGregor Sports in Georgia, Meijer in Grand Rapids, and Marsh Supermarkets in Indiana. Ricker later formed his own employee and labor relations consulting firm.

The family bought a camper and vacationed at Timber Shores near Northport. Darci remembered they would spend a month in Leelanau County every summer, swimming in Lake Michigan and participating in talent shows every Saturday that included racing with an egg on a spoon (Darci thinks she may have beaten pop icon Madonna in the talent show). The Rickers later rented at The Homestead in Glen Arbor and later bought Glen Lodge, a rural resort on Glen Lake on the grounds of an old logging camp.

Over the decades the Rickers have built special bonds with their guests, who return year after year. One guest got engaged on the dock at Glen Lodge.

“I’ve been to their weddings, and they came to my parents’ memorial services,” said Darci. “The guest books from their services were full of homages to Ed and Elaine. Stories about my parents taking their kids on pontoon boat rides and teaching them how to fish—about this wonderful place they created.

“For some, this was their favorite place in the world.”