kbutton Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 More subjective nostalgia…what makes a parade a “real” parade for your area or in your mind? Parades here differ quite a bit than where I am from—lots of overlap, but they are smaller and miss some entire categories. Some parades are single purpose, such as a pet parade or Santa parade, but I’m thinking of more general parades. If a parade doesn’t have tractors, veterans, and BAGPIPES, it seems like it’s missing something to me. It’s just not quite a parade without men (and sometimes women) in kilts playing in a pipe band. What would you miss if it wasn’t in a parade? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athena1277 Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 I grew up where Mardi Gras is a big event. If there aren’t floats and people throwing things, it’s not a parade. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 My music kids are doing the Christmas parade for the first time this year :). For me it's marching bands. Without bands, it's not a parade, but merely a group of people walking in the same direction. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutTN Posted October 29, 2023 Share Posted October 29, 2023 Marching bands! Our scouting organization marches in a Veterans’ Day parade every year and it is big fun! Love that the whole small town turns out to honor the Veterans! Our girls have the opportunity to speak to them personally and thank them for serving. Horses, tractors, and bagpipes are all there with the marching bands, “floats”, etc. Two of my favorites: the guitar instructor who fills a huge flatbed with his students and they all play together, and Billy Bob’s Tree Service with their cherry picker truck covered in bunting. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faith-manor Posted October 29, 2023 Share Posted October 29, 2023 Marching bands here, floats, fire engines, tractors, more marching bands, a 57 chevy or something like that carrying parade/occasion "royalty", sheriff posse on horseback, and more marching bands. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbutton Posted October 29, 2023 Author Share Posted October 29, 2023 There are many parades in this area with a single marching band instead of several, which always surprises me. And no bagpipes. Sometimes they have a flyover if the parade is for Memorial Day or July 4th—I think it’s usually an honor guard vs. active duty, and sometimes it’s a single historic plane. That was new to me and very cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted October 29, 2023 Share Posted October 29, 2023 Marching bands! A parade must have marching bands. And floats that aren't just advertisements for a local business. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrissiK Posted October 29, 2023 Share Posted October 29, 2023 Marching bands. I live in a relatively small town and we have the "R- Fiesta" every October. It has a huge parade and then vendors and games at the park. The parade has probably half a dozen or more marching bands. Those are a necessity. Also, all the elementary schools enter floats and every fire truck in town goes down the street. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted October 29, 2023 Share Posted October 29, 2023 Marching bands and floats. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halftime Hope Posted October 29, 2023 Share Posted October 29, 2023 Some group or another on horseback and the people following them with scoopers. 😄 People throwing candy to the small children on the route, and marching bands. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted October 29, 2023 Share Posted October 29, 2023 I agree with marching bands. We usually also see scouting groups. And veterans. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted October 29, 2023 Share Posted October 29, 2023 19 hours ago, athena1277 said: I grew up where Mardi Gras is a big event. If there aren’t floats and people throwing things, it’s not a parade. Same. My kids were so confused the first time they went to a parade while visiting a relative, and no one was throwing anything, lol. 19 hours ago, Dmmetler said: For me it's marching bands. Without bands, it's not a parade, but merely a group of people walking in the same direction. And same. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbutton Posted October 29, 2023 Author Share Posted October 29, 2023 Just now, katilac said: My kids were so confused the first time they went to a parade while visiting a relative, and no one was throwing anything, lol. Yeah, that would be not a parade! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted October 29, 2023 Share Posted October 29, 2023 57 minutes ago, katilac said: Same. My kids were so confused the first time they went to a parade while visiting a relative, and no one was throwing anything, lol. And same. We're not allowed to throw stuff from floats here. You have to have walkers hand it out to spectators. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasProud Posted October 29, 2023 Share Posted October 29, 2023 Fire trucks. Our subdivision was like a small town growing up. We had a 4th of July parade every single year with the biggest one being in 1976 of course! We dressed up in costumes, decorated our bikes, etc. But for many years I rode on top of the fire engine throwing candy to people. My parents were very involved in the volunteer fire department at that time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted October 29, 2023 Share Posted October 29, 2023 This week our grands were talking about how great the parades were where we lived in Illinois. They especially loved the Father’s Day parade because June is dairy month and the parade participants threw good stuff like cartons of chocolate milk and cheese sticks. What they didn’t love but definitely remember is near the end of every parade there the VietNow group walked and one person was always in shackles and rags portraying a Vietnam POW. I appreciate their dedication to not forgetting those who didn’t come home, but it sure is a sobering way to end a parade. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amethyst Posted October 29, 2023 Share Posted October 29, 2023 Another vote for marching bands!!! I grew up in Philadelphia and went to the Thanksgiving Day every year. I remember the boom boom boom of the marching bands even more than the balloons and floats. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted October 29, 2023 Share Posted October 29, 2023 1 hour ago, Dmmetler said: We're not allowed to throw stuff from floats here. You have to have walkers hand it out to spectators. Here in NOLA, we find that the chance of a concussion from a heavy pack of beads adds to the excitement. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbutton Posted October 30, 2023 Author Share Posted October 30, 2023 18 hours ago, Annie G said: What they didn’t love but definitely remember is near the end of every parade there the VietNow group walked and one person was always in shackles and rags portraying a Vietnam POW. I appreciate their dedication to not forgetting those who didn’t come home, but it sure is a sobering way to end a parade. My hometown parade almost always has something like this too, but it’s interspersed among happy things. Everyone stands in silence, and it’s quite moving. They also usually have an organ donor float—that one is overall happy/thankful, but a little bittersweet. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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