Ok it was me, Sen Cardin, his wife Myrna, a dozen other supporters, the official mascot of the largest unincorporated town in the US and around a thousand of our closest friends. The rest of you called this the Silver Spring Thanksgiving Day Parade. I call it a people watching watching extravaganza. Besides being a supporter of Sen. Cardin because of his political views, it is so nice to see a Baltimore politician in MoCo outside of the election season.
This was my second Silver Spring parade and with the addition of the 50 foot balloons it had that Macy Day Parade feel. Got to love the Penguin, the official mascot of Silver Spring, christened in December of 2006. (Nice background on SS symbols.)
Now my favorite people watching that masquerades as a parade is the Fourth of July Parade in Takoma Park. Maybe it is the summer weather. Maybe it is the Nation's birthday. But you can never discount the Takoma Park factor.
But any parade that combines, as Silver Spring did, two immortal Presidents, two groups of Presidential candidates supporters, the Skins Marching Band, Boys Scouts, Brownies, elected officials, a half dozen HS marching bands, dancers, singers, clowns, firetrucks, dogs, and Santa can warm any heart to counter the brisk air. And unlike our neighbors in Takoma Park, Silver Springers have a permanent Mayor (see below) who watched all the proceedings from his own Alley.
Ok this is a political blog and the parade route went through Congressional District 4, so it is time to mention why Congressman Al Wynn and challenger Donna Edwards had supporters walking for them but they were not there. They were in the middle of a debate. Interesting turn of events with newcomer Jason Jennings. So in lieu of shots of Wynn and Edwards here are shots of their supporters.
Even though you have many of the same participants in both parades, Takoma Park's is a satirical Kumbaya wrapped in a red, white and blue flag with the grill fired up; Silver Spring's is a Jambalaya wrapped in a red costume, red noses while ones hat pulled down and a scarf pulled up.
