I Love a Parade

I love a parade, especially when it's a small-town parade that celebrates the community and the people who live in it.  Such was the case yesterday when Baraboo celebrated its rich and unique circus heritage with an all-day Circus Celebration and 1st Annual Baraboo Big Top Parade in our picturesque downtown.  Despite the record-breaking low high temperature that barely broke into the 60s, the wind that looked as if it might bring sprinkles with it, and the overcast skies, the crowds were not deterred.  All of the hard work of my fellow event organizers paid off, for thousands of people donned winter jackets, hats and gloves and headed for our downtown anyway. Some of them brought their lawn chairs and blankets with them, while others had staked out their parade-viewing territory the night before. A year ago at this time, we were suffering from prolonged, unbearable heat and drought that threatened the crops.  This year, we were more concerned about having icicles form from our noses.  Yet, the show went on.  The parade of over 70 units included antique circus wagons from Circus World Museum, horses, an elephant, stilt walkers and clowns.  The parade also included community entries created by area businesses, nonprofit groups and youth organizations, as well as a host of contemporary convertibles and classic cars dating all the way back to 1916 that carried local circus celebrities.  The Circus Celebration throughout our downtown square featured everything from tours of historic circus facilities, activities for children and music of all kinds including from a circus calliope, to the screening of a circus documentary, an antique fair and stores offering sidewalk sales. Baraboo has many things for which to be proud.  Yesterday was a fine example of that community pride as we celebrated all things circus.  As they say in the industry (and make sure to say it aloud with the gusto of a ringmaster)...May all your days be circus days!