REFLECTIVE MOMENTS Everyone loves a parade — despite brakeless truck

Remember when the parade for the fair went up Main Street to the exhibition grounds then paraded around the grandstand, giving a special view to anyone who couldn’t make it downtown?

I remember those parades, both as a spectator and a participant. My family would drive in from our village early on parade day, so we could get the optimum spot for viewing — that being in front of the Capitol Theatre. We had lawn chairs, a blanket for me to sit on the curb, plus a picnic lunch of sandwiches and fruit. Others had the same idea and it was a festive time, eating and drinking and celebrating with strangers.

The braver children would sneak out into the street to glance down towards the CPR station to see if the parade happened to be heading our way. I wasn’t one of the brave ones, sitting there safely on the sidewalk, waiting to hear from the other children what was happening to the south of us.

Then we heard it — the siren of the police cruiser, and some band music and everyone talking at once that “the parade is coming, I see it, the parade is coming.”

And soon it was upon us and we clapped and cheered as each car and truck and band went by our spot. Sometimes a store had sponsored some candy and we got one or two pieces — certainly nothing like happens today when children bring pillow cases in which a bountiful supply of candy is gathered, sometimes risking personal safety and often in an unfriendly tugging match with other children (and some adults.) Every government agency had a float, so did many businesses, farm equipment dealers and car dealerships. All the Moose Jaw bands participated, as did bands from Regina, Swift Current and Assiniboia and other communities.

Following the parade, there was a children’s movie at the Capitol Theatre, with free admission. That’s why we picked that location so I would be sure to get a seat at the movie. Afterwards I’d meet the parents outside and maybe, if they were in a good mood, we’d go to the fair or at least have a hamburger at the Uptown Cafe.

Then I got to be in the parade, as part of Margaret Garner’s Accordion Band. Band members and parents made Kleenex flowers of every colour and placed them on sheets of cardboard to spell out the band’s name. Dad borrowed a truck and flat deck from Western Oil as our means of conveyance. I recall it looking mighty spiffy, perhaps not as elegant as the power company float, but certainly nice enough to satisfy our sponsor, and our band members and parents.

Onto the flat deck we went, costumed in our cowboy hats and fancy shirts with accordions in hand. My grandparents watched from the balcony of their apartment on High Street as we made our way to the marshalling area. Grandma told her neighbour: “That’s my granddaughter.”

We played Cattle Call for most of the parade route, with some of us waving madly at For Moose Jaw Express our friends and neighbours and enjoying the moment — and missing a few notes here and there but no one complained.

Years later, I drove a brand-new Labatt-sponsored van in the parade while a friend ran behind handing out free tickets to the fair. She claims she wore out a new pair of running shoes making that trek, this time down Main Street from the Civic Centre parking lot. And for 13 years I was the co-ordinator of the parade and stood with that same friend and others as we marshalled and then directed the entries down the street to pass by hundreds and hundreds of spectators.

I knew enough to stand back as she tried to direct a museum-quality fire truck into line. It had defective brakes. I knew that, so of course I was smart enough to remove myself from danger. She was not amused when I confessed.

And so the fair parade will roll down Main Street this week. I wonder if the brakes on the fire truck have been fixed and if my friend would like to sit with me, on the sidewalk, and recall some of those interesting stories of days gone by?

Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net