Yesterday, I started my wrap-up of the Marengo Settlers Days Parade. I started out to highlight the political aspects of the event, but all the high school bands and floats sucked me into deeper coverage.
Still another high school band came around the corner, this one from Evanston.
It was a really big band.
Union’s St. John’s Lutheran Church put pre-schoolers on a decorated hay wagon to advertise its full-time pre-school. The banner indicates it is called “Little Blessings Center.”
I have to admin never having seen a concrete truck in a parade before, but I guess if townships and municipalities can draw crowds to see trucks, why not give kids a close-up look at one.
The 4 Stings Attached Children’s Violin Performing Group was next.
And, as usual at a parade, children waited for candy.
McDonald’s wasn’t the only company trotting out its symbol. Hubert, the Lion, was perched atop a float waving to people.
A clown was the next to enter my viewfinder.
And, then, what I came to take photos of, another candidate.
District 6 Republican candidate Rachel Smith had a pickup truck with her name on the front. Good idea.
Suddenly, there she was. Handing out cards along my side of the street.
I didn’t figure out what the next kid-laden hay wagon was sponsored by, but it clearly had a kite theme. “Ready, Set, Soar,” said the sign on the back.
Still another high school band followed the kites.
It was the Wheeling High School Marching Wildcat Marching Band.
After the band came the Shriners’ Tabala Motor Patrol.
Next came a band that didn’t march. It was from Marengo’s Zion Lutheran School.
Round the corner came an old Cadillac with worse shock absorbers than my 1995 model. Of course, it’s 41 years older than mine.
When I saw its side, there was a good-sized sign proclaiming, “Corey Brackmann, McHenry County Board.”
This was a new County Board candidate for me, so I crossed the street to get some close-up photos as he greeting people who, it turns out, are from the town where he lives.
Women on roller skates were next.
Who knew that Rockford had a roller derby team? (Or at least that’s what I used to watch on a black and white TV in the 1950’s.)
No doubt that Crystal Lake is in a different media market from Marengo.
More tomorrow.