The parade goes by

The day certainly began on a more joyous note, yesterday, than it ended. It was sunny and warm; and the mood was festive—though spectacularly informal—as the annual Kid’s Parade and Picnic got underway at noon. As usual, a Seattle Fire Department engine from the local firehouse led the parade, followed by a swarm of kids, parents, grandparents and other miscellaneous characters.

This is not the kind of parade where anyone worries much about marching in formation, staying in sync, or waving to spectators. Actually, the later were few and far between. This is one event where it’s all about participation.

Some were pushed, and some were pulled…

…and a worthy few had the honor of carrying the banner.

Amateur crowd estimator and parade participant Maurice Cooper said he thought there were between 250 and 300 participants this year. I couldn’t begin to guess. I was plenty busy just trying not to fall over while walking backwards to get these shots.

No goats or ponies made the procession this year. But there were several canine participants to liven things up, including this eager guy:

And, as always, when the eight-minute stroll down Madison Street culminated at the Park, everyone headed straight for the chow lines. So ended Madison Park Days for 2010, a much appreciated production of the Madison Park Business Association.