Hi Brian, I looked on your profile page to see where this parade might have taken place, but see that it is left shrouded in mystery. So, here's my Sunday morning stream of consciousness association on parades.
First are questions. What kind of parade is it? Have you been in it before? Do you have pictures of any of your past floats?
In our town, there's a big difference between the different parades. Veteran's Day, Labor Day and the Christmas Light Parade all have different styles of expression. The Christmas Light Parade is one of my favorites, but I wish it weren't so bone-chilling cold to go watch it. It's after dark, and all the vehicles are lit with twinkley Christmas lights. Everything from elaborate creations to simple fun family entries.
My Mom grew up in a tiny farming community of about a hundred and fifty people. They don't have an annual parade now, but did up until the mid-nineties. It was about fourteen entries long, drove slowly up one street for about three blocks, then turned and went up the other street for about two. That was it. It was kind of a toss-up whether there were more people watching or in the parade.
One year, my Grandma was chosen Senior Citizen of The Year for the county. We like to have simple fun, so we made a parade event out of it, but in country style. She had been given a gold paper crown, and we had her in the back of the pick-up truck wearing that. She was sitting on hay bales, with her three happy farm dogs and several grandkids along for the ride. I drove the truck, which had banners on the sides proclaiming her royal title. Mom drove behind us on Grandpa's 1951 Allis Chalmers wheel tractor. She put her long hair in braids and stuck them straight out to the side like Pippi Longstocking. Had on a straw hat with fake yellow sunflowers on it, and a bandana hanging out of her pocket. People absolutely loved the whole thing. We had a lot of fun, and so did Grandma.
Another year, we used my cousin's flatbed semi truck. Grandma, presiding over a court of about fifteen grandkids and those same fat, happy dogs. The theme was Dick and Jessie Jackson's Little Sprouts, although when I made the huge sign, I accidentally left the 'p' out of sprouts. So, we were little srouts. My sister sewed vegetable costumes for her four kids, and they were adorable. Corn, grapes, and one I can't recall. Her littlest, about ten months old, was a chubby green pea in a pod. It was so much fun, and everyone clapped and cheered as the truck went by, first up one street and then down the other.
That's my too long story about parades. Thanks for allowing me the fun of writing it. I noticed that there were no answers to your thread and wanted to contribute. My guess is that if you do make a float, you're thinking of something fairly elaborate. What are the other floats like in your town?
