At The Labor Day Parade

 The largest Labor Day parade in the state takes place in our town. Sixteen years ago when I was setting up my first ever classroom one of the teachers there asked me if we'd be heading to the Labor Day parade? I was dumbstruck that such a thing existed! Memorial Day parade? Sure! 4th of July parade?! Sure! Veterans Day parade? Sure! But Labor Day parade?! This one was new to me. Fast forward a couple of years to our first Labor Day in our house (not far from the parade route) and there were Dave and I walking to the parade.  Anyone who has read this blog for any length of time knows that it's a massive event. And on an election years (like this year) it's even bigger due to all the local politicians marching in it. Politicians aside, the military often has all branches represented and theirs the various teams in town and local bands (middle school, high school and colleges) that come along, along with a good selection of fife and drum corps and bagpipes. My most favotie thing since that very first parade though is the Hallamore Clydesdales. Seeing that team in town makes our town feel a little smaller than it actually is, and transports me back to growing up in  tiny little Bethany Connecticut (and all the various barns and farms and horse shows there). 

 Hitching up the team. 

 Love the follow car. 

 The fire department kicked off the parade. 

 Checking out the candy they collected. 

 Watching the high school band arrive. 

 Waiting. 

 The Clysdales! 

With the super hot temperatures today, and the fact that we had a twenty minute walk ahead of us, we all agreed that once we saw the horses we would head home. On our walk back we passed the UMass Lowell marching band and a whole host of various political campaigns (local friends: don't forget to vote tomorrow). We're glad we passed a fair amount of the groups on our walk down and back since it feels like we got to see even more of the parade that way without having to stand in that heat any longer than we did! xo