By Quilt staff.
DATELINE: OVER HILL, OVER DALE, AS WE HIT THE DUSTY TRAIL!
We now return to our extensive coverage of the 26th Annual Canoga Park Memorial Day Parade, sponsored in part by Vallarta Supermarkets — the low-price leader for colorful yet remarkably bland oversized cookies shaped like slices of watermelon and sold individually out of a lucite bin, and also by your neighborhood Arby's — Arby's: We Have the Meats™.
There will be no further interruptions.
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| This talented vaquero, or "cow-boy," twirls his lasso, or "rope," demonstrating the tool that early Canoga Park rancheros used when a stray possum broke away from the herd. |
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| The Salvation Army's Canoga Park Adult Rehabilitation Center has been serving our area and helping folks get back on track for thirty-two years. |
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| Parade spectators were delighted at the sight of the Salvation Army's donation pick-up truck. "I wonder if there's unwanted toys in there, given up by a boy who has too many, or perhaps even a gently-used pair of short-pants for me, or, oh!, maybe even a new blouse for Mother," one tot was heard to wonder aloud. |
Did You Know?™ The Memorial Day Parade marks the official start of the Noise Season in Canoga Park, known for its traditional summertime events such as illegal fireworks randomly being set off in the middle of the street at all hours of the night, outdoor parties surprisingly scheduled for Sunday evenings and featuring live bands with seemingly endless stamina, and the Cohasset 500, where a single roaring, screeching car whips around a one-block route (Valerio to Jordan to Cohasset to Vassar), as fast and as many times as possible before running down a pedestrian, careening into a home or utility pole, or spotting a police vehicle. The fun continues all summer long with these and other noise-related activities — and with the unusually hotter weather we've been enjoying these last few years, possibly well into the autumn months.
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| A large contigent of colorful trucks and SUVs took center stage on Sherman Way next as onlookers along the street watched in awe. |
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| Like exotic birds, the colorful vehicles seemed to preen themselves and show off in a proud display of open doors and dropped tailgates, like so many carbon steel and chrome feathers. |
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| The "flock" of trucks and SUVs sang out, each with its own song; bass-heavy sound systems created a marvelous cacophony of blaring and competing noise so that no one tune was distinct; instead, each vehicle doing its part to add to the delightful dissonance. |
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| What would a parade be without beauty queens? Miss Woodland Hills, Elizabeth Sams and Miss San Fernando Valley, Kimberly Bebo, ride in a "beauty" of a car, a vintage Chevy Super Sport! |
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| Chatsworth welcomes the world — the Special Olympics World Games, that is. Our neighbor to the north east is thrilled to be the host city for the Games, coming up this July 25 - August 2. |
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| The LA Fire Department closes out our parade as one brave firefighter climbs to the top of the ladder to try to reason with the clouds to please go away. They refused, but who cares — sun or not, Canoga Park put on a great parade enjoyed by all! |
Did You Know?™ Traditionally, the Canoga Park Memorial Day Parade ends with the Los Angeles Fire Department bringing up the rear. Crowds love the spectacle the mere presence the bright red fire engines bring, but more importantly, the trucks serve a practical purpose as well: Crowds disperse quicker and easier with the threat of firefighters ready to turn the fire hoses on these spectators, many of whom have no place to go and would otherwise mill around endlessly and soon start some kind of trouble without the distraction of gaily decorated vehicles and marching bands to otherwise occupy their attention.
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| That's it for the parade! Thanks for coming and see you next year! |
Happy Memorial Day to you, Canoga Park, and our sincere thanks to all those who have served.
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