Short parade long on spirit
Keith Cousins | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 8 years, 2 months AGO
<p>Brad Sondahl, a Spirit Lake business owner, dressed up as a pirate and got the crowd into a festive spirit Monday during the towns annual Labor Day Parade. The parade route is a two-block stretch of Maine Street and is billed as the second-shortest parade in the world.</p>
<p>Debbie Moore, of the Spirit Lake Historical Society, prepares to throw candy to onlooking children during the town's annual Labor Day Parade Monday. The parade, sponsored by the Roy Racy Veterans of Foreign War Post 1473, runs the two block length of Maine Street and is billed as the second-shortest parade in the world.</p>
<p>Members of the Kipling family throw handfuls of candy to kids watching Spirit Lake's annual Labor Day parade Monday morning.</p>
SPIRIT LAKE — If you blinked Monday morning while sitting on Maine Street in Spirit Lake, you probably missed the annual Labor Day parade.
After all, it's hailed as the second-shortest in the world.
"It's our own little bitty parade," said Connie Clary, a Spirit Lake resident. "The kids really enjoy it, it's a lot of fun."
"It's where you go to meet all your neighbors in the street," added Max Eliese, another resident.
Clary and Eliese, along with many other residents and visitors, began lining Maine Street in Spirit Lake well in advance of the 11 a.m. parade on Monday. The parade, which was sponsored by the Roy Racy Veterans of Foreign War Post 1473, began promptly and ran for two blocks from Third and Maine to Fourth and Washington.
It was over in a matter of minutes. But what it lacked in distance and size, the parade made up for with spirit and a diverse group of participants who hit the route riding on a variety of vehicles with plenty of sweets to throw to onlookers both young and old.
Patti Kroetch, a former resident of Spirit Lake, told The Press that she hasn't missed a Labor Day weekend celebration in the town since the 1970s.
"Spirit Lake has always been a special place, and it always will be," Kroetch said. "It's very fun to come and see all the local people."
Kroetch added that the parade, combined with Sunday's Labor Day on the Grass Car Show at the big City Park, makes Spirit Lake the place to be during the holiday weekend. The car show, which was sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce featured classic cars, live music, and a host of vendors.
"We have so much diversity here," said Evielynee Sanchez, a member of the Spirit Lake Chamber of Commerce. "You can find anything from overalls to fur and everything in between.”
"You name it, it's here," added Verla Reed, of Spirit Lake Visions.
Sanchez said the events this weekend in Spirit Lake are reminiscent of an old-time Labor Day celebration. The event, she added, brings in a lot of local artists who gather to sell their wares and swap stories with each other.