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Scoots5012
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23 Nov 2005, 11:49 pm

I'm of the opinion that if you've seen one holiday parade, you've seen them all.

I was at the local holiday parade tonight, having to endure assults on my ears from sirens on emergency vehicles and air horns from semis pulling floats.

I think parade organizers should ban sirens and horns during the parade.

My mom use to work for the county. For the 1990 snowfest parade I got to help build the float, then I got to march in the parade. The float was being pulled by a snow plow. The driver blowing the horn startled me every time.

The worst was when he blew it going through a tunnel.


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Sarcastic_Name
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23 Nov 2005, 11:53 pm

I think of parades like I do fireworks, after years and years of them it justs gets really boring. I've only been to a few parades in person, and they were all very low on noise.


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24 Nov 2005, 12:09 am

I have parade earplugs.
Used to live in NYC and went to the Macy's parade a few times - different from small town parades which I find noisy and boring. But the Macy's parade you need to be there at a ridiculous time in the morning to get a good spot, and then stand there for hours in the cold. The ballons are amazing though - huge and astounding that the handlers keep them from crashing into buildings.
Agree, though.
Since I have been to the parade it is much better to watch on TV if I watch at all.
I will be monitoring the parade this year as I heard there is a Puffy Ami Yumi float and I am interested to see the response of the crowd.


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Bec
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24 Nov 2005, 1:49 am

I don't really like going to parades in person, but I like watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV.



Anonymous_Aspie
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24 Nov 2005, 2:19 am

I don't attend parades for a few reasons. First of all, I don't like to leave the house. Actually, that's pretty much it.

The only parade I really loathe is the Santa Clause parade. I don't want to come off grinchy, but I tend to believe that a holiday should be celebrated (if possible) near, or possibly IN the month that the holiday occurs in.

-AA



Jetson
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24 Nov 2005, 4:00 am

The only parade I *ever* go to is the Vancouver Gay Pride parade. I sat on the side a few times but there were too many people and I'd get stressed out. Two of my friends are involved in radio broadcasting, so for the past few years I've left the sidelines and started driving a truck in the parade while they sing and dance on the back. They make sure I always have a loaded "super soaker" and I have a great time shooting water at the crowd while creeping down the parade route at 3 MPH.


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24 Nov 2005, 9:29 am

I grew up in New Orleans and often got dragged to Mardi Gras parades, which were very noisy and crowded. Often, the weather would be cold too, which didn't help the experience much. At least Marid Gras parades are somewhat interactive, i.e. you get to try and catch stuff. Even so, I never liked them much.

The only thing I ever looked forward to about Mardi Gras was the day off from work. I prefer spending that day online, with my ham radio, or just sitting back with some soft music or my favorite video tape or DVD.


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24 Nov 2005, 9:45 am

I was actually in several parades in highschool.
I was in marching band and we always were in the KY Derby parade.

Didn't really bother me much. Probably because of the ridged disipline required to be in maching band, the equal and uniform spacing between everyone, and just an overall controlled enviernment.



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24 Nov 2005, 9:57 am

I really enjoy the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 'cause it has all the Broadway shows on it.

But here in St. Louis, we have a crappy Thanksgiving parade which always pre-empts Macy's after an hour. It sucks. The St. Louis parade sucks. And they HAVE to show it on NBC. They don't even bother switching to, like, CBS so those in St. Louis who are in agreement that the St. Louis parade sucks and would rather watch Macy's can do so.

I hate it. And Jeff Corwin is supposed to be doing something with the Macy's and I have no doubt he'll be on during the pre-emption. It makes me really angry 'cause Macy's is so enjoyable.

The St. Louis Parade should actually be coming on in about 8 minutes. The only reason they won't do it on another channel, like CBS, is because nobody'd watch the St. Louis one. So we're held captive.

I just turn off the television. *grumbles*


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mjs82
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24 Nov 2005, 11:37 am

I dunno, maybe Australia isn't really a 'parade' kind of country. In the capital cities they do like christmas and easter parades etc, but they really don't have any significance to me.

Every year though I go to the ANZAC Day March/Parade. It's just the veterans marching and a few marchings bands. I respect that a hell of a lot more than some cartoon character float.



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24 Nov 2005, 11:40 am

It seems a float hit a lamppost at the Macy's and a light fell and hit (or skimmed rather) a person. They're waiting for an ambulance. T'was a bit too windy to keep hold of the M&M well enough. :?


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ilikedragons
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24 Nov 2005, 11:44 am

People scream all the time at Cedar Point and the lines are really long. The only thing my family watches on Thanksgivings football.



CDRhom
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26 Nov 2005, 2:04 am

I always look forward to the Macy's Parade for the balloons, but my very favorite is the Tournament of Roses Parade on New Years. The things that the float builders do with the flower parts are just amazing.


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nirrti_rachelle
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26 Nov 2005, 2:38 am

The only thing that bothered me about going to parades was the noise of the bands' drums. It doesn't bother me anymore and I even followed my school's band down the street (our area's tradition) so I can watch them play. I haven't been to a parade in years, though because I always forget when we have them here.


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