Small town on parade

   

The Strawberry Festival Parade was Friday night.

The three-day festival is hosted by the volunteer fire department. Games, a dunking booth, bingo, tractor pulls and lots and lots of strawberry shortcake.

And strawberry pie.

Oh, and strawberries and ice cream.

 

 

 

She’s not with us this year, but we gathered in grandma’s yard like always. The kids waited eagerly with their candy bags. The adults chatted. The sun beams cheered us.

And I people watched …
Pondering my Dukes of Hazzard childhood and realizing how nice it is to have my own Uncle Jesse.

 

People watching is highly entertaining, especially during small-town parades.

Folks are excited and expectant. Lawn chairs find their way to sidewalks long before 7 p.m. start time.

Families and neighbors come together and laugh and greet and guffaw.

Kids run around.

 

 

   

And wait.

And watch.

 

 

 

And ask — again — how much longer.

And then … finally … it begins.

 

 

 

And my people watching slowly turns into overwhelming pride for this place.

 

 

 

 

 

The candy flies.

The mad grab begins.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And I continue to people watch and ponder.

First of all … does anyone find it amusing that a septic service truck is in a parade?

And secondly, am I the only one who find it hilarious that the people inside the septic truck threw Tootsie Rolls to the kids?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sorry, I couldn’t resist.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And then it’s over.

They collect their bags of candy … pick out the good stuff …

 

 

 

And share the rest.

 

I love a parade.