This year, My Town is celebrating its bicentennial. There were many events over the summer, including a special parade. Over the past two decades, we've taken the kids to almost all of the Memorial Day and Christmas parades in town. I walked in a few of them with Middle Child's girl scout troop and Only Son now marches in them with the high school band. As time has worn on, I've developed a disdain for these parades. There is just something really cheesy about a small town parade. I wouldn't mind so much if it were just scout troops, veterans and the like. But it seems to have turned into a free for all, with politicians waving from their convertibles like they are royalty and local businesses promoting themselves. The worst is when the garbage trucks and snow plows drive by and wave. Why are they wasting tax payer money on fuel for that sort of nonsense?? So.....I wasn't exactly excited about the 'Bicentennial Parade.' However, Middle Child really wanted to go. Fortunately, she no longer collects the cheap candy pelted at us by parade participants.
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| This was the garden club's float. My Town has a gazebo in the town square, so I guess they were attempting to replicate it. Probably the only tasteful display in the whole parade. |
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| This was just plain creepy. The local funeral home with some sort of old fashioned funeral carriage, complete with pall bearers. WHY? |
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Santa Claus in a parade is fine in December. I have no desire to see Santa or the Polar Express in June. The avalanche of snow will be here soon enough.
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I wish I had a picture for you of the local parish float. Very disturbing! Let's just say it was a combination of Jesus on the crucifix, goats for Africa and Habitat for Humanity. Use your imagination!.
When the last group went by, a few people started folding up their lawn chairs and heading back to their cars. I, however, being in the know, realized the parade wasn't over yet. For months, it had been the talk of the town that the Budweiser Clydesdale horses would be making an appearance in the parade. I pictured
this commercial, anxiously awaiting quite a show. We waited and waited. Probably 15 minutes passed until I saw something in the distance. Here was the main event:
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| I have to say, without the music, it was rather anti climatic! |
Yeah, small-town parades can be really cheesy, but isn't that part of their charm?
ReplyDeleteOur Town isn't exactly 'small', but our biggest parade event of the year is the weekend-before-Thanksgiving, 'OK-everybody-get-ready-to-get-out-there-and-SHOP!' parade. But hey, it ends with fireworks!
My hometown Up North had some interesting parades - like the time it snowed on the Memorial Day parade. . .
"I wish I had a picture for you of the local parish float. Very disturbing! Let's just say it was a combination of Jesus on the crucifix, goats for Africa and Habitat for Humanity. Use your imagination!."
ReplyDeleteBwhahahahhahahahahaha! OMG, that CRACKED ME UP! HILARIOUS!
And I cannot believe they had Santa Claus in JUNE!?!
I'm with you when it comes to parades. I'm not big on them.
I'm also not big on circuses either. The SMELL!
Fun post, my friend! And great photos!
Have a grrrrrrreat week!
I would be on the "not" side of the ledger. There are few things that I can think of that are a bigger waste of time.
ReplyDeleteNew Years day, before the games start, is agony for me.
Bonjour Bijoux,
ReplyDeleteI can see your point of view. You might go more out of curiosity and just to see people that you know more than for love of parades.
The funny thing when you live abroad that things you don't do look so darn good!Chalk that up to nostalgia for the homeland.
But,good just up to a point... I have to agree with you; the funeral carriage was weird and same for Santa in June!
I hate parades big and small. But weirdly, I kinda like that morbid horse-drawn hearse thing.
ReplyDeletei remember some lovely small town parades but in recent years the politicians proliferating in parades has gotten on my last nerve. that and rude crowd behavior, ugh.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy small town parades but get rather disgusted with the city types. At least small towns can celebrate the cheese and the awkward. The city ones have too many rules and too few tractors ..... :-)
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