Frankly, Wienermobile's appearance in Lakewood Ranch exciting

The Wienermobile is coming to Lakewood Ranch.

Hot dog!

There, I said it, even if I do have a hard time mustering enthusiasm.

Personally, I never have wished to be an Oscar Mayer wiener, but not everyone feels the same way. When I announced the bun on wheels' visit in a crowd not long ago, I learned this particular happening is more popular than a solar eclipse, 10 free pulls on the Silver Strike slot machine in Las Vegas, or a ride aboard the Budweiser Clydesdales' beer wagon.

I listened to gasps of "Where, when, how," as if Paul, John, George and Ringo had booked a date at the Van Wezel. 

I had to inform my friends, though, there was a catch. They wouldn't be able to relish the Wienermobile Dec. 5 as it navigates a one-mile parade route in the Lakewood Ranch neighborhood of Esplanade. The Foolishly Festive Christmas Parade is for Esplanade residents only and their guests.

They were a bit steamed, too, but then I told them they could catch the motorized frankfurter from 2 to 4 p.m., Dec. 5, on Lakewood Main Street. There, they would be able to grill the two drivers, Dominic Ricci and Elise Johnson, about their adventures. The two signed a one-year contract with Oscar Mayer to be "Hot Doggers," visiting towns all over the United States for 340 days this calendar year. "Hot Doggers" can only handle the job one year.

The Wienermobile visit was made possible because a couple of retired Esplanade residents, Bill Wolfe and Charlie Shachat, needed a project to fill their days. Wolfe was visiting the Light Up the Village parade in Siesta Key last November,

"They had like six things in the parade," Wolfe said. "I thought, 'Dude, we can do better than this.'"

He then convinced his neighbor and friend, Shachat, they could have a blast putting together a "fun" Christmas parade.

The Foolishly Festive Christmas Parade was born.

Right away, the two made sure the event was more about the parade and less about Christmas. A church choir asked to be included. They turned them down.

They started to put together the lineup, signing up an ugly sweater brigade and a 24-person kazoo band. Marty the Marauder mascot committed and so did a group which drives decorated golf carts.

Wolfe and Shachat were drinking at 3 Keys Brewing and Eatery in Bradenton and they ran into the Crewe of De Soto, which had just finished an event. They explained how their parade would end at the Bahama Bar. They got the Crewe and their ship.

One of the members of the parade committee, Greg Johnson, works for Kraft and he lined up the Wienermobile and the Planter's NUTmobile.

Since Wolfe is a volunteer bartender for the South Florida, they planned to get Snooty, but he died. Then, they thought, they could build a float with a cutout of Snooty with angel wings.

The emphasis was on silly.

"We started in March with this," Wolfe said. "And it was getting cooler. It was just a reason to have a good time, but the more fun we had coming up with ideas, the bigger it got."

Frankly, it should be a fun event.