Small Town Goes Spooky

Hey there Little Red Riding Hood...

I walked in a parade the other day, my first since being in the marching band in high school. I never cared for parades in those days because they were long and dull, and by the end, we would all be exhausted. The Labor Day parade always did us in, and several kids never failed to pass out from heat and dehydration. I wasn't one of them, but still.

This time around, I walked the route to help promote an orchestra event, and our little entourage had a ball.

The Lion's Club of Small Town hosts an annual Halloween Parade, and it's interesting to note that more people show up for this one than show up for other parades, like the Memorial Day or Labor Day or Christmas Parade. What does that say about us? Kids and their parents line the route, that isn't as long as a mile, and they hold out their plastic bags for candy as if they won't be trick-or-treating in a few days, and all kinds of people participate.

There was a pontoon boat on a trailer to advertise a boat shop, a dance troupe, the Girl Scouts, a couple of marching bands, various cars painted with store logos, and kids who entered a costume judging contest. There was a family that joined in just for fun, and they were probably my favorite group—the father had made all of their costumes to make each family member look like a lawn ornament. One kid was a pink flamingo, another was a gnome with a mushroom, another a lamppost, and another was the most amazing bird bath you've ever seen. The father was a lawn jockey, and all the costumes were made from found objects or cheap things from Good Will. Very fun. Sorry I don't have a picture.

For our presentation, we borrowed a black BMW convertible, which the principle horn player (dressed in a tuxedo) drove, and a board member's husband sat on the back dressed as the Phantom of the Opera. We'll be performing a few songs from the show at tomorrow's concert. Katy from the board was Marie Antoinette, and Mary from the board was a character from Star Wars. We also had some middle school kids who helped us pass out candy for their school service project. I was Little Red Riding Hood. I searched online for a costume, but the options were so slutty I decided to make my own cape. I used a very simple pattern and only lined the hood to make it even easier. The rest I put together from what I had, following examples I had seen from the not-so-slutty images I had seen.

This parade business was not a big deal as deals go, but I was so glad we put this together. And as I walked down the center of the street, avoiding the BMW exhaust, I was just happy to be a part of the community, being an active member of my town. Come to think of it, maybe that is a big deal.