You can’t always believe what you read, even if it’s in three-foot-tall letters.

Organizers of South Kitsap’s Fathoms o’Fun festival were horrified this week to discover that the date for the event’s Grand Parade was misprinted on the banner displayed prominently over Bay Street.

What’s even worse, the sign had been hanging there for two full days before someone noticed the misprint, exposing thousands to the erroneous message.

“The parade is scheduled for June 28,” said Fathoms official Jud Turner. “But for some reason the sign said June 26, and no one caught it until it was too late.”

Turner said the sign company had been contacted and a corrected version ordered.

The new sign was expected to be installed Friday night by a ladder truck provided by South Kitsap Fire and Rescue .

“We’re getting it straightened out as quickly as we can,” Turner said. “In the meantime, we just don’t want anyone showing up for the parade two days early.”