and let ‘em Parade. I can remember when I was kid certain holidays were always marked by a large procession of floats, marching bands, clowns, and lots of balloons. In our small Western New York town there was two every year:
Military Might
The Veterns Day Parade which was the smaller gathering but always had a good size group of smartly dressed and pressed soldiers. There was always one guy in the front corner calling out the cadence and you could hear their boots stomp as they made their way down the street. The much larger Fourth of July ~ Fireman’s Parade brought out the whole neighborhood. The weather was usually bright and sunny. Big Red Fire Trucks from all over the state would come. There were school marching bands and floats. Later in the year at Thanksgiving time, mom would put on the television and we’d gather around to watch The Macy’s Day Parade. This was a personal favorite of mine for its huge cartoon character floats. There was The Disney Parade on Christmas Day and then on New Years after we stayed up late to watch the glass ball drop in New York City we’d all gather around the RCA or “Boob Tube” as my father called it, to see The Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena. That was by far the most colorful and had the best marching bands.
According to Wikipedia; Parades have been used over the years for many reasons; Military Parades were held to show force and capability. Ticker Tape Parades were used to celebrate national heroes and teams. Parades have also been used to bring recognition to certain organizations and groups. If your still looking for a New Years Resolution perhaps you would consider making a commitment to attend a parade this year. Take a youngster with you and I guarantee you’ll both find reason to smile. And if for some reason you just can’t find a youngster willing to go try calling the local “Boys and Girls Club” www.bgca.org
Floats and Balloons!
Tags: Macy's Parade, Military Parade, Roses Parade