parades, fire trucks, and squirt guns

I was riding in our parade yesterday and we were behind a fire truck (yea, snorting diesel fuel).
Lots of folks along the parade route had mega-squirt guns - the kind that hold a gallon or so. At first I thought this was a clever social development that families of marching band folks started to reduce fainting andheat exhaustion. However, who did these guys squirt? The fire trucks... and they'd get hosed right back.
I speculate that squirting the fire truck is "permission' to get squirt back... and wondered if this was a common practice.
I don't know if they squirt the hot marchers, too - but only one or two of 'em squirt at us at all.
I shall not be able to sleep wondering about this :o :p

Sadly, I don't even think parades are common practice anymore.

My mom tells stories about how our town had parades for everything when she was a kid. She joined the Salvation Army because she liked their uniforms and they got to march in parades:p

We have a GREAT parade here in Flagstaff, but then we are not a very large town!

I wish I had pictures of it for those who don't get to go to parades anymore!

Spoke

On the 4th of July at Catalina Inland (Two Harbors) they always have a boat (dinghy) parade and everyone decorates their dinghy's and prade around. Then they have "events" such as the blindfolded dinghy paddle race where they use the big river rafting inflatables and all the rowers are blindfloded except the coxwain who shouts out to the rowers where to go. Inevitably, when they shout "left' or "right" the rowers never know whether it means turn to the left or right, or the rowers on the left or right and it's a big free-for-all. Anyway, there are always a few people in the spectator dinghys who squirt water cannons on the rowers, who in turn, slap the water with their paddles so the spectator fleet gets wet. One year I had a bad fall and very bruised ribs and sternum (fall occurred when I fell through an open boat hatch after what I suspect were a few too many "Buffalo Milks" - the local drink). I was so bruised I could hardly move and was lying in our dinghy watching the festivities. I got completely soaked by the water cannons and water-slapping rowers and couldn't do anytjing but just "take it". As I recall, laughing hurt a lot too - more than any fall I have had on a bike.

Now that you mention it, it occured to me that New Orleans doesn't have parades for the 4th of July.

BUT we do have Carnival Season parades - that ends with Mardi Gras. That doesn't quite get parading out of everyone's system, because we also have St. Patrick's Day parades.

So no Christmas or July 4 parades, but Mardi Gras does make up for it. And where else to you go to parades and get stuff? Poor kids that grew up here get real confused when they go to parades elsewhere. No "throws".

Mardi Gras beads anyone??? :cool:

I thought parades were something they did in New York on holidays...I vaguely recall my little league team marching in one in 1968!

Our little village in upstate rural NY has BIG parades all the time. Memorial Day, Labor Day, July 4th.....even Santa comes through Main street waving from a firetruck with sirens in December several times! Caroling in the street too.

In the parades, lots of school marching bands, VFW, Fire Dept squads and trucks, horses and wagons, honor guards, cheerleaders, the whole 9 yards. No big expensive floats though- it's a small town. It's always sort of a trip back in time. I rode the parade once on my horse when I was 13 too.

I posted about our neighboring town's parade in the July 4th rides thread. I thought about sharing pictures, but I was in a hurry and didn't have time to resize them.

I figured I'd share them now for those of you that don't have hometown parades to go to. I think it really is a slice of Americana.

This particular parade is heavy on the horses...and I love horses, so that's what most of the pictures are of.

Here's the beginning of the parade...
http://www.footeco.com/ellen/stpaul01.jpg



Then we're on to the horses. Usually the first entries are the colorguard, sherriff's posse, and all the rodeo queens and their courts from the surrounding areas. I noticed an unusually high amount of palomino's this year, and they were beautiful!
http://www.footeco.com/ellen/stpaul02.jpg

http://www.footeco.com/ellen/stpaul03.jpg

http://www.footeco.com/ellen/stpaul04.jpg

http://www.footeco.com/ellen/stpaul05.jpg



Here's the adult band playing a march...

http://www.footeco.com/ellen/stpaul06.jpg



I thought this horse with overalls was cute...

http://www.footeco.com/ellen/stpaul07.jpg



This was a spectacular looking paint! I wish I had gotten the whole horse.

http://www.footeco.com/ellen/stpaul08.jpg



Vaulting anyone? Good thing the horse was 'bomb proof'!

http://www.footeco.com/ellen/stpaul09.jpg



A nice looking appaloosa mare and her foal...

http://www.footeco.com/ellen/stpaul10.jpg



A caballero and his friesian...

http://www.footeco.com/ellen/stpaul11.jpg



There were also antique tractors and restored cars...

http://www.footeco.com/ellen/stpaul12.jpg

http://www.footeco.com/ellen/stpaul13.jpg



A girl and her unicorn...

http://www.footeco.com/ellen/stpaul14.jpg



"When I grow up I want to be a rodeo queen's horse!"

http://www.footeco.com/ellen/stpaul15.jpg



The littlest bronc riders...

http://www.footeco.com/ellen/stpaul16.jpg



That's all, folks. Hope you enjoyed it!

I sure did, thanks!

I like how the gentlemen all removed their hats when the flag went by:) And all the horses were so beautiful.

What a great parade.

We have the annual Belle Fair coming up next week. Huge parade, (for us). Police cars, fire trucks, floats, horses, kids on bikes and our marching band. Every church, business and organization has a float. The people around here put out lawn chairs early to mark "their spot" along the parade route and no one messes with them. Not only a parade, but rides, cattle showings, John Deere kiddie tractor pull, large tractor pull, demolition derby, a Belle Fair queen (who goes on to the Mo. State fair pageant), Little Mr. and Miss, and two nights of entertainment on the main stage. This year it WAS Billy Currington, but he has laryngitis so now it's Black Hawk. Instead of the weather, everyone now says "are you ready for the fair?". I live by the park, so if anyone wants to attend, you can park in my driveway, parking is at a premium.:rolleyes:

Just for the record: I used to be the band director here, and if anyone had shot one of my band members with a squirt gun, I would have come unglued. If you will watch, the members of any marching band cannot talk, wave or mess around. Eyes front. Besides, ever purchase a band instrument? Dousing those expensive things with water is NOT a good idea!

Thanks for posting the pictures Oxysback! You make me homesick for the west! Really really homesick....

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bmccasland

Thanks for posting the pictures Oxysback! You make me homesick for the west! Really really homesick....

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Awww...glad you liked them!