I Love a Parade

Okay, I'll admit it, I love parades.

Spokane has (and has had for 72 years) a traditional parade on (I think) the third Saturday of May, called the Lilac Parade. It actually has a longer, more formal name than that, but Lilac Parade is easy to say and remember.

Two of the ham radio groups I belong to have been associated with the Lilac Parade for decades, and this year's parade, held two days ago, was the second one I've been able to be involved with.

We basically provide communications between the different areas of the parade, from the staging area, over the entire route, and up to the very end. We were this year stationed at every major corner and every minor corner, the side streets along the way.

I drew one of the PA areas this year. The announcer announced every entry that went by and gave some background (and some P.R.) for the entry.

Naturally, there are always entries that break down, never show up, or go out of turn. As soon as one of those situations is discovered it is relayed to the five PA hams, we tell their announcer, and then he isn't surprised when the wrong entry shows up.

I had a blast!

I was moved by a lot of the entries, but there was one special one that I enjoyed the most. It was the Spokane Library Book Cart Drill Team.

Need I say more? :)