slo’s WEDNESDAY 7/3 poll - Local Parades

[slo]

With Canada Day and The 4th of July this week, many of us either went, or will go, see a parade this week. They are a lot of fun to go see, and even more fun to be in the parade. What I’m wondering today……

Did you, or will you, see a local parade this year?
Were you, or will you be in a local parade this year?
Have you ever been in a local parade?
(multiple choice)


For Me……I have not seen a parade this year, and don’t plan on going to one. I actually haven’t been to a local parade for over 10 years. We went to so many of them when my DH was a volunteer fireman, that once he retired I was glad to not go anymore. I was in several parades in the past. I marched in my HS marching band, and we made a float for the store I managed for an about 5 years - that was fun! I also used to ride in a fire truck with my DH sometimes.

 

[jo-jo]

No parades for us. In the past , boy scouts, opening day for little league, etc, we went to a bunch. But now it's too hard to go.

 

[WDWEPCOT]

I used to go to our local parade decades ago because I lived where it was very easy to go and watch we could just stroll down the street and watch the parade - have not gone since I moved to the other side of town

 

[Kitty 34]

I went to our small town's parade for years but not recently.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I went to a Memorial Day parade this year, but do not really feel like going to one for the 4th.

We used to march back in DS's Cub Scout days, and we did a Christmas parade float with his preschool one year as well.

 

[design_mom]

Our town does a memorial day parade and we usually go to that, but didn't this year (I don't remember why we didn't.) Several adjacent suburbs are having 4th of july parades, but I don't think we plan to go to any either.

I have been in multiple parades both as a participant and as a parent chaperone when my kids participated. (Me: as a baton-twirler when my cousin convinced me to take lessons with her -- then she "got hot" in the parade and ended up riding in the van, leaving me to march without her! Multiple parades with various 4-H Clubs, marching band in high school. My kids: dance team, marching band, cub scouts, etc.)

 

[leebee]

I can't remember the last time I went to see a parade. Our small town doesn't do them and although there is one in Bangor, I never think about checking out the route or planning to go. Maybe we should... but I don't know if they are having one, there isn't anything advertised.

I marched in parades as a kid, with my brownie/girl scout troops, but that was back in the late 1960s/early 70s. I think the last parade I was involved in was when DD's dance team marched in the Bangor Holiday Festival of Lights parade back in the mid-2000s. I helped the girls dress for the parade and then provided blankets and hot chocolate when they returned to the studio. December in Bangor, ME is NOT the time to be dressed in tights and leotards, dancing in the streets! (I TOLD them to put on multiple layers, but you know how much teens listen, sometimes!)

 

[CGB]

I teach at a jr/sr high school in a small town, so the homecoming parade is a huge deal every year! When I sponsored a class, we built floats for the parades. (My fave was their senior year with a "card games" theme... we built a huge toilet and called it the "royal flush".) When I sponsored student council, we walked as a group. Now, I just walk with the teachers and wave to all my students that have grown up over the past 20 years. I've also learned to park my car at the football field so I can leave easier afterwards.

 

[Karalee402]

Growing up, my little neighborhood did the most fun parade on the 4th. I have such fond memories of watching it from my grandma's front yard and having a big family barbecue after. I haven't been to a local parade since I was a kid.

 

[Wood Nymph]

Our town puts on a really nice parade every year that we usually go to. But this year was a rainy day, so even though the parade went on, we sat out.

 

[Meriweather]

I have not been to a local parade since we moved to this house......but DD has.
We used to go to a lot of them when we lived in WA state. The kids always seemed to be marching in them.

Here it is too hot to go in the summer (spring, fall too}

 

[jalapeno_pretzel]

Have been / participated occasionally in the past but it was never really my idea of fun. I will not be at any in the future. I tend to avoid large gatherings since they seem like potential mass shooting targets in my mind.

 

[jo-jo]

I just remembered my DD recently went to a parade that her DD's gymnastics class was in. DGD was thrilled. Turned out if you could breath, you could be in the parade. It went on for hours and hours . Every school club, every scout troop, every anything was in the parade. Not so much fun standing for four hours in one spot. Of course DGD ended up near the end.

 

[BrianL]

Much like with fireworks, Disney has ruined me for parades. I am just not too interested in any of the local ones.

 

[georgina]

Alexandria has a Scottish heritage parade in December, and a big George Washington birthday parade in February. It’s only a few blocks from my house so I saw both of those in the past year. I missed the St Patrick’s Day parade (it was on March 2? Weird)

 

[tvguy]

Yup, went to the July 4th parade last year for the first time in the 41 years I have lived in this community. Once was enough. It was sad seeing Santa on a fire truck in 100 degree weather. And the members of the Dodge Charger/Challenger club thought it was fun to stop and do burn outs every block.
We do have a bit of controversy here over the community fireworks show. It was canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic, and in 2021 they started moving it to the Saturday before July 4th. So this year it was JUNE 29th! I am firmly in the school of thought it needs to be on July 4th, and I feel sorry for people with PTSD and pet owners will them spreading the explosions over sooo many days.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

Does watching the Philadelphia Mummers' Parade on the TV count as watching a local parade? If so, then my answer is yes I've seen one this year, on New Year's Day. My town doesn't have parades, really. More like gatherings, such as everyone gather at the Veterans Memorial, we're going to have a ceremony type stuff.

 

[CdnCarrie]

Our city (800,000) doesn't have a Canada Day parade. There are activities around the city but not a parade. Only parade left is the Santa Claus parade in December.

I'm out at the lake on Canada Day usually anyhow.

 

[Dan Murphy]

We went to some local 4th of July parades when Vince was in his early years as a firefighter/paramedic. He'd either be driving one of the big rugs or working the sirens and bells from the other seat or waving from the back rack of seats. Some proud mom and dad moments.

 

[Micca]

I've been in some parades, MC'd some parades, local parades are way overrated WDW Parade? Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade? Sure, why not. But local parades were mostly just vehicles with magnetic signs for a business on them.

We did have a memorable float one year for a St. Patrick's Day parade. We had it all decked out in a Christmas theme with Santa Claus on board to wave at the crowd.. We had a sign on the float "Oops, Wrong Parade!" I think we might have won a prize for that.