Why you rainin' on my parade?

(click on any image for larger view)

Last evening at 5 o'clock, the Warren County Prime Beef Festival Parade was scheduled to start with a fly-over by some of the National Steerman Foundation members' planes visiting the region for their annual fly-in. They had arrived by Monday afternoon, landing at the Galesburg Airport...

Tom Lowe, Founder of organization, does a few low passes over the airstrip.

and practicing their maneuvers for not just the parade fly-over, but several other events, as well. Unfortunately, the weather wasn't terribly accommodating.

At first, it didn't look so bad out there... just a little cloud cover.

The forecast had said "showers toward late evening." I dunno about you all, but around here, 5 p.m. isn't hardly even late afternoon, let alone late evening. And, yet,

It rained on the cross-country runners whose last member to cross the finish line at the city square marked the start of the parade. Meanwhile, seven blocks down from the center of town, we waited.

Wetly. But still excited.

At last, the police car and the American Legion honor guard came by.


Then the grand marshal, and a carload of dignitaries with an idea of how to ride in a convertible in a parade...

Then came the fire trucks and other emergency vehicles

With Smokey Bear (I think he's been dieting, and his ears have gotten much bigger with age... I mistook him for a hungry mouse, at first).


Then the Monmouth-Roseville High School marching band... looked and sounded pretty good. The new uniforms must have helped morale.

Our Junior High School band wasn't too awful, either. For a bunch of early teens whose parents often make them play an instrument "for their own good." Unfortunately (or is it fortunately?) I only heard them from afar. By the time they reached my block, they were marching cadence. I guess the rain kind of fills up those wind instruments too quickly and makes the sound a little iffy.


More to come... But don't worry, it's not going to go on all day.