Vintage Vance: Before the Parade Passes By.....

This is by no means the most interesting or important thing that has happened in our lives in the past few months. But I've been really lazy about blogging, and I've got to start somewhere -- and this just seemed the easiest post to write because it's mostly pictures and I've got them all ready to go. So.....

After 33 years of living in Eugene, Clay and I finally made it to the Eugene Celebration Parade. The Eugene Celebration is a 3-day annual community event featuring music and entertainment, and emphasizing community issues and environmental concerns. Like many things about Eugene, I think "quirky" best describes it (although some things are simply bizarre). This is not your parents' parade, folks!

It was a beautiful day for a parade, sunny, not too warm, we found a great spot to sit in the shade, and we had a great experience for our first, and perhaps only, time at this parade.

There were plenty of "causes" represented. Some good: Children's Literacy, Habitat for Humanity, Humane Society, Adopt a Greyhound, Girl Scouts, Citizens Emergency Response Team, various conservation groups, and many others.

Girl Scouts

Clifford encouraged children to read -- and they had some other characters from children's books, and some people holding huge popular children's books.

Giant trout (encouraging us to protect our environment).

Always a good idea.

They had a whole bunch of greyhounds, many wearing ties. Their theme was "Adopt a Greyhound -- Lose a Couch" (since greyhounds are known as couch potatoes when they're not running).

And then there are the "not so good" entries (meaning I don't agree with all they stand for): Planned Parenthood, ACLU, medical marijuana, Occupy Eugene, anti-corporation group, etc. (but I didn't take many pictures of those).

I have a hard time with the Occupy Eugene people because of all the disruption they have caused around here over the past year (although of course I wouldn't wish homelessness on anyone).

Right after the dove of peace came the anti-corporation group, including this Monsanto death guy.

There were lots of gymnastics groups (those little kids were very impressive!), bicycle groups, a roller derby contingent, fencing club, senior groups of singing and other activities, including a marching band, etc.

I liked this vehicle promoting DaVinci Days, "Oregon's premier arts and science festival, in Corvallis, Oregon celebrating the education, art, science, and technology of the region." I wanted a ride on this one.

There were lots of creative (and colorful) people-powered vehicles (encouraging more bike riding).

This guy was riding his bicycle backwards -- I wouldn't recommend trying this.

I think this was a school group doing a chinese dragon.

This was the car I liked (it's my favorite color). Clay preferred the yellow one.

Alice and the Mad Hatter were walking with the Sheldon High School dance team who were doing a routine to a song about the Queen of Hearts compelling her servants to paint all of the white roses red ("off with their heads"). It was cute.

And then there were a whole bunch of entries that were just "odd" -- including the slug queen, "Sadie Slimy Stitches" and her court and former slug queens, a giant slug (think Chinese dragon) trying to avoid a large salt shaker; an "Octopi Eugene" group (I assume they were poking fun at the "Occupy Eugene" group); the local Star Wars outpost (with both good and bad guys); the Beard and Mustache competition; a group protesting coal trains; representatives of the "Friendly Neighborhood Farmers Hundred Hen March" (theme: Less Talk, More Bok" -- but they didn't actually have any hens with them, just a couple of ducks?); etc.

The big salt shaker didn't have any luck getting rid of the giant slug.

Congressman Peter DeFazio is always the "Honorable Slime Scooper" -- following the giant slug (lucky for him it wasn't actually depositing any slime on the road).

This year's Slug Queen, Sadie Slimy Stitches. The Slug Queen reigns over the Eugene Celebration.

A previous Slug Queen -- I didn't catch her name.

I think some of the contestants in the beard competition cheated.

I'm not sure who she's supposed to be -- the "marijuana fairy" maybe?

He was protesting the use of plastic bags. Eugene prides itself on being environmentally friendly, and is currently trying to enact a ban on stores using plastic bags (no more "paper or plastic?").

Some people take their Star Wars very seriously.

The dove of peace.

The Oregon Country Fair had a colorful float/parade entry. If this was the wildest thing you'd see at the fair, I certainly wouldn't mind going. But the real thing is too wild -- unless you're really into "clothing optional" and "recreational drugs" etc. I know it has its good points; I just can't overlook the rest.

A group protesting drones (I didn't realize Eugene even HAD a drone problem).

There were only a few marching bands, including a bagpipe group, although several of the "floats" and other entries had music playing. And there were only 2 horses (the parades I grew up with had many more).