Parade Time

In this area of the country, Catholic Churches have an annual "Church Festival" and fundraiser.  There is always food and fun and in the case of St. Boniface Catholic Church in Cold Spring, Minnesota they also have a parade.  A VERY LONG parade. 


Parade Float

Dale works for an assisted living center that also has a Cold Spring location.  Since Dale's trailer was used for the float, he ended up pulling it in the Sunday morning parade.  We left town at 7:45 AM.  We did not know for sure how fast we were going to be able to drive pulling the trailer. 


91 year old Princess

As a winter activity, the assisted living centers both had a Valentines Day contest for Prince and Princess.  The theme of the float was "your home is your castle".  So people dressed up in Renaissance period clothing.


Valentine's Day Prince & Princess

Back to the parade.  We were right behind a Girl Scouts troop. They were funny to watch.  They were tossing out miniature tootsie rolls with four girls on each side.  One would toss, then the next would toss in the same place and on and on.  There were piles of tootsie rolls and then nothing.  They ran out about 3/4 of the way through the parade.



Girl Scout Troop

We were spot 40A.  I think there were around 80 places.  This cool purple car was one unit that we drove by as they waited.



Cool Street Car

 A residents and family join her for parade day with a few extra friends.  They wave in support of the Cold Spring residence.


Kids run for candy



Wait! We are getting pelleted with candy!



Piles of tootsie rolls



Now there is a point of view - at the top of the stairs



The watchers are as entertaining as the floats or parade units.

 Duchess and My Jenny obviously enjoy people watching as much as I do.  The back windows of the van don't roll down and they are slightly darkened.  It was sad that the people could not watch them.  Dale was thinking if he drove in another parade, he would need to create a clear viewing pattern for the girls to see outside and the people to see them. 


Duchess and My Jenny watch the crowd

There it is the Cold Spring parade from a different point of view.  Always look for the different points of view.