Parade, part deux

Okay, so the parade lasted 90 minutes. I left off with a kid throwing a cartwheel... the parade had a whole passel of little girls twirling batons and tumbling their ways down Broadway (I've always wondered if any of them, when they grow up, will say they performed on Broadway when they were kids?).

So, behind the Republicans and the tumblers came another band, this time from Alwood HS in Woodhull, IL . They were in step, but musically... (I think I used the term for my own alma mater, too)... the season is young and they have far to go. Still, spiffy uniforms and enthusiastic kids.

Behind them came some clown one kid seemed to be wowed by. The rest of us were more intrigued by the poor little tiny girl with the great big crown. We all agreed that the crown probably weighed more than she did soaking wet.

Then there was an original, actually crafted float, and you'd never guess that the business which sponsored this float was an optician/opthalmologist's office, would you?

Galva's band flag corps came out in their jammies, just like my college's band. They sounded pretty good, though.

And then, Oho the Wells Fargo Wagon's a-comin' down the street...
So it's a stagecoach, not a wagon. Who's gonna notice, when Jerome Kern's lyrics run through one's head?

Cloverbuds, those future 4-H'ers, rode past -- the little tykes with their little mini horse... behind a Deere and followed by one of Nauvoo's high school's marching bands. The banner carriers all seemed steeped in enthusiasm

Detail: can you see me now?

... the band was top-notch. Give them a few more weeks of praactice, and the kick-hindquarters steps they were doing will be absolutely in unison. Meanwhile, they showed the rest of the bands how it can be done.

Behind the Nauvoo band was a kids' care center from Roseville, IL. Just look at the excitement in these kids' faces!

The local medical center showed a spot of wit, with their float including even a realio, trulio fire-breathing dragon. Okay. smoke-breathing only. Anyhoos.

From smoke to steam-powered music: the calliope played through, followed by some corny pick-up line a dozen or so aging, yet well-kept, tractors. I like the big honkin' monster machines. This was... getting there

Behind the tractors came horses all sizes . Behind the horses was, quite logically, the
street sweeper, marking the end of the parade.

My hindquarters were sore and my stomach called me home for supper at 6:30 p.m.

I love a parade. Don't you? Now it's time for the rest of the Prime Beef Festival... Come out to see my friends at the bake-off on Saturday afternoon, now!