Mosaic Monday #40: A Parade and a Potato

Dear reader, over several posts (May 26, June 16 and July 14), I have been stringing you along, sharing tales of our visit to Spokane.  Finally, we have arrived at the pinnacle - the Lilac Festival Armed Forces Torchlight Parade.  And what a spectacle it is.  The festivities begin early in the day, when the floats are parked under a highway underpass near downtown.  I was delighted to learn that the public can view them.

Float for Lilac Festival Princesses

As we walked among them, it became apparent that most of the floats represented communities that have festivals of their own, such as the Apple Blossom Festival.  We marveled at the creativity and workmanship.  At one float, a couple of gentlemen hovered, and I took the opportunity to ask a few questions.

Do these communities use the same float every year?  Most make a new float every year, reflecting a theme that the community selects.

Float for Apple Blossom Festival Princesses (100th year of that Festival)

Isn't that a massive effort for one parade?  It isn't just one parade - most of these communities have parades for their own festivals, and everyone participates.  A float may appear in as many as 13 or 14 parades over the spring/summer.

Do all the floats carry princesses?  Most feature princesses but some transport other royalty or other community groups.  The selection of the princesses is a significant event in these communities.  (And, as we would later observe during the parade, most of the princesses have a prepared dance routine that they perform on the float to the music emanating from it.)  This is a big deal, folks!

I have only shown you a small selection of the floats - some were hard to 

photograph due to how they were parked.  You will just have to go and see

it for yourself!

Unlike most parades, this one takes place at night, hence the name "Torchlight Parade".   I channeled my inner child and inhaled an ice cream while waiting for 7.45 p.m. to arrive.  Spectators thronged the sidewalks, with chairs, blankets and children in tow.  Vendors strolled the cordoned-off streets, hawking cotton candy, balloons and every possible item with lights.  Stationed as we were at the start of the parade route, I can tell you the parade commenced right on time.  The police sirens began to wail and the motorcycle police cavalcade got the party started.

Over the next two and a half hours, we were charmed by countless high school marching bands, military groups, drill teams, equestrian units, antique cars and of course, floats.  The participants are encouraged to use lighting, and it was fascinating to observe the same floats we had seen earlier in the day, now lit in creative ways.

Here is a short video of the Lilac Princesses, who appeared near the beginning of the parade.

I am partial to high school marching bands, since #1 Son was a member of the drum line in high school, and held a leadership position as an upperclassman.  Hence, I captured numerous bands on video, and I down-selected snippets of the best for you.  With hindsight, I wish we had been a little further from the start of the route.  Many of the bands waited to start playing until the next block, and I regretted not hearing them perform.  

Band playing a military march, which seemed very appropriate for a Armed Forces parade.

This band outdid every other band with lights, from their hats to little lights on their shoes.

This band had a GIGANTIC percussion session - oh, how I miss drum line!

OK, not EVERY video was a band - the crowd LOVED the Hot Mamas, and I think this short video tells the story well.

May nights in Spokane can still be chilly, and after a couple of hours I was ready to snatch a blanket from one of the nearby kids.  (Of course, I didn't!)  Also, we had been standing all this time … But we stayed to the end (do not stray from the quest is a family motto), and then made our way to the food truck area to see what might still be open.  A short while later we scarfed piping hot (temperature and taste) Mexican food as we walked back to our hotel.  What a wonderful night!

Moon behind Looff Carousel

The next day, we said farewell to Spokane and cruised toward Idaho.  What do you think of when you consider Idaho?  Well, I think potato.  What could be better than an Idaho potato in Idaho?  Are you tired of me using the word Idaho?

Our tummies were rumbling as we approached the town of Sandpoint, and Yelp surfaced a restaurant I just knew we had to try: Spuds Waterfront Grill.  
From the moment we entered, I knew we had chosen well - we were greeted first by the desserts.

I am highly unlikely to eat an Elvis Cake, but I sure like the chutzpah of a restaurant that would serve one!

It was too windy to sit on the deck overlooking the marina, but we had seats next to the window that were the next best thing.  I was delighted with my meal - yes, a spud.  Mine was the "Drag it Through the Garden" potato, with spinach, broccoli, red cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes, green onions, mushrooms and a green onion dill dressing.  I was in heaven.  An Idaho potato in Idaho - my journey was complete.

Mosaic Monday

Welcome to Mosaic Monday, a weekly meme where we get together to share our photo mosaics and collages.
Please include at least one photo mosaic/collage in your post.
The link will be open from 1 p.m. Sunday until 11 p.m. Monday (U.S. Mountain time).
Remember to add the link to your Mosaic Monday post and not the one to your blog.
Please link back to this post so that your readers will be able to visit and enjoy more wonderful mosaics; taking the MM blog button from my sidebar is an easy way to link back.
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Thank you for joining in today and sharing your mosaics with us. 

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