Liberty and looniness
Doo Dah Parade remains zany but has become less political, some say
Halloween isn’t the only holiday to feature Ghostbusters, “Stranger Things” characters, zombies and hula dancers. The 36th annual Doo Dah Parade provided them on the Fourth of July.
Participants and attendees say the parade has changed over the years from its usual political satire, but one fixture is the opportunity for people to celebrate their First Amendment rights with liberty and looniness, said longtime participant Greg Phelps.
The 53-year-old Clintonville resident has taken part since 1997, driving his “art cars” decorated with a range of items, such as Barbie legs, bike parts or wine corks.
About 60 groups were in this year’s parade, led by Deb Roberts, the head “disorganizer” of the event. She dressed as the “Unroyal Queen of the Parade” and rode in a golf cart decorated with baby
President Donald Trump balloons.
“It’s a labor of love — crazy love,” Roberts said.
The parade’s Less-thangrand Marshals were a dozen local residents who represented the thousands of people who helped save the Columbus Crew pro soccer team.
People marched for a range of causes, including the environment, women’s rights and justice for Barb Holland, a character in the Netflix series “Stranger Things.”
Jeremy Gabis, 36, of the South Side, arrived at 10:30 a.m. to get a spot to watch the parade. He has attended with his friends for about a decade.
“I think it has gotten a little less political,” Gabis said.
Gabis said it still has its foundation of political satire, but people are less willing to preach on politics.
Mark Allison, 54, of North Linden, created a U.s.-mexico border-wall float three years ago, enlisting friends and others to join in. The wall has been a part of his float each year, but the characters have changed based on news events.
This year, Don Drennan, 55, a Hilltop resident, dressed as Trump and stood on the American side, holding a gold club and welcoming the crowd to his celebration. On the Mexican side, someone tried to climb over, only to be stopped by the U.S. Border Patrol.
If the parade is tamer than in year past, Phelps doesn’t seem to mind. He likes it because what people see in the news that upsets them can be made into a joke.
“It makes you feel better about the madness in the world,” Phelps said.