Only in a small town

would you mark your place for the evening parade with chairs and blankets at 7:00 am.

I drove to see my dad yesterday and as I arrived in town I saw all these blankets on the boulevard.

At first I thought they were like drop cloths and someone was painting. Or littering.

Then a little farther along, by Main Street, I saw the chairs and I remembered that tonight was the parade, which is traditional to announce the week of the Fair.

This is the section in which my dad has his chair. He doesn't live but around the corner. Now he won't be sitting in his chair, but will ride his scooter to this spot where his chair is. He placed the chair at 7 this morning when he went to breakfast. It is NEVER too early to get a good spot!

Then as I left town I noticed that several of the "floats" were already lined up and ready to go. They line up around the Junior High. I was way too lazy, due to the triple digit heat, to get out of my car and take photos. So from inside will have to do. (As an added note, there is a haze because it is so HOT!)

I'm shocked the balloons haven't popped from the heat.

Look to the left, some really great tractors are going to be in the parade.

I've gone to the parade many times in my lifetime. I must say probably the first ten years of my life were when it was best. When I went a few years ago after about ten minutes of tractors and feed trucks and scouts and horses were enough, but alas, there was another hour and twenty minutes to go. It is a BIG PARADE. I guess that's why people come from the surrounding small towns and the mile or more route is packed.

And it's why you have to be the early worm, good seats are mandatory.