Parades are my secret passion!
I know this sounds really silly, but I am passionate about parades. I am so passionate about them, in fact, that they make me cry when I see them. No joke, if I wasn’t embarrassed and I let myself, I would cry my eyes out with happiness during parades. And in fact, I have. My husband and I joke that parades make me inappropriately emotional. It’s true. And forget about it if there is someone or some group in the parade that is overcoming some sort of adversity. I’m done for! I want to run right out in the street and hug them and slobber all over their shoulders.
I have two favorite parades, and neither one of them are the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. I do enjoy the tradition of it though; hanging out and making food and having the parade on in the background.
“Mom, mom! Hurry! Spiderman is coming!”
Or, “Ben, get in here! Justin Bieber is about to sing!” (Don’t get too excited folks, I doubt the Biebs is going to be in the parade this year.) Okay, so maybe the Thanksgiving Parade IS in fact one of my favorites.
That means my OTHER two favorite parades are the Ithaca Festival Parade and the Happiness Parade at the Finger Lakes Grassroots Festival.
The Ithaca Festival Parade is the kick-off to the Ithaca Festival, which is an annual music and art event. This parade draws not only a huge crowd, but also a very diverse lineup. Think Volvo Ballet and Chainsaw Marching Band.
Volvo Ballet
Chainsaw Marching Band
It is some of the best happiness you will ever experience.
That is, until a little later in the summer when you are met with the Happiness Parade.
Happiness Parade at Grassroots
This parade takes place on Saturday afternoon of the festival, at 3:00, which actually always turns out to be about 4:00. This is very close to the height of the festival, while people are still happy and before they are totally burned out. Basically people who want to march gather and dress up in crazy outfits, or paint their boobs, or do nothing special at all, and march around the festival grounds being happy and playing instruments. The only point to this is to just be happy. And make me happy it does. To the point of tears.
I am passionate about parades because people gathering in common happiness, peacefulness, and joy is enchanting to me. It is a very special piece of humanity that I love.
[...] have inappropriate emotions when I get overwhelmed with joy. I cry at parades. I cry sometimes when I hear Christmas music. This morning, in fact, I cried when I heard Barry [...]