parades, fire trucks, and squirt guns

[Geonz]

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

[Zen]

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

[spokewench]

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

[Ninabike]

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.

[bmccasland]

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???

[Mr. Bloom]

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