Meramac Community Fair Parade 2019

I shot the Meramac Community Fair Parade again this year, from the area of Harry`s Tire again, an area where you generally do not have to worry about people stepping in front of you as you are shooting the floats and vehicles in the parade. I got to visit with Rita and George Boyle there as well, they always watch the parade there too…Rita is one of my classmates and good friends. Had Rita not pointed out the alligator in the pickup bed of one of the floats as it passed by, I prob would have completely missed it…thanks again Rita !!

There were some new characters in this year`s parade and I was able to photograph a few extras along the way as well…this year I shot video of the fire trucks and Sullivan High School Marching Band as they passed by…

Mer Com Fair Parade 2019-0619 Fire Trucks at Start AVI 42

Mer Com Fair Parade 2019-0619 Fire Trucks at Start AVI 43

This year, our Veterans began the parade following Patrick Johnson who was driving the Sullivan Police Car at the head of the line, they carried the colors down the streets….closely followed by the Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts. Patrick is the Captain of Sullivan Police Department and he had a bit of a challenge just past Harry`s Tire when he met some eastbound traffic on Springfield Avenue…he veered the police car over to their lane and directed them to turn on to Mansion Street…they initially refused to turn, but he stood his ground and they eventually turned off and out of the way so the parade was able to resume…something I have never seen happen before. He would have had some good backup with the Veterans following closely behind him…

…I always try to get a good photo or 2 or 3 of our Veterans as they carry our colors down the street, grateful for their service to our country and big fan of our flag…this year I was also able to get some good photos of one of my buddies, Chris Huebner, who was probably carrying the US Marines Flag, since he is a Marine…

…and then Katie Creek, the 2018 Fair Queen in the yellow Camaro was next…

I`m not sure who set the order on the parade this year, they normally put the fire trucks, ambulances, and police cars out in the front, due to the fact that they like to use their sirens and air horns, but this year they were right behind Katie in the line up…sure hope she had some ear plugs in…

Officer Nathan Rhodes was leading the First Responders in the Dare Car, followed by the Swat Jeep, Ambulances, and Fire Trucks…SPD had a new Mascot riding in the Jeep`s Sunroof….

…and here comes the SHS Marching Band….

Mer Com Fair Parade 2019-0619 SHS Marching Band

…and shortly after this float, something scarey this way came….

I was like ” Yikes, he uh…sees me…” luckily for me, I`m sure, I knew who he was a few minutes after he passed by….but whew…for a few seconds there…

…and then this next float came along, and we were all trying to figure out the belly dancer outfit with the reptile ranch type float…as it passed by and I`m shooting video, Rita yelled out, ” James look at the alligator in the back of the truck ” so I spun around and shot the alligator too !