Before the parade passes by
BILL BULEY | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 3 years, 1 month AGO
Aundrea Farmer and daughter Neisha Farmer wait at First and Sherman for the start of the 30th annual Lighting Ceremony Parade on Friday.
BILL BULEY/Press
Bill Buley covers the city of Coeur d'Alene for the Coeur d’Alene Press. He has worked here since January 2020, after spending seven years on Kauai as editor-in-chief of The Garden Island newspaper. He enjoys running. | November 26, 2022 1:05 AM
COEUR d'ALENE — Friday afternoon, empty chairs lined Sherman Avenue, saving spots for their owners for the 30th annual Lighting Ceremony Parade.
A good two hours before the parade, only two of those chairs were already occupied. One by Aundrea Farmer and one by her daughter, Neisha Farmer.
They didn't care that it was 37 degrees.
They didn't mind that people occasionally stopped and asked when the parade started.
The Farmers of Coeur d'Alene weren't bothered by the steady flow of traffic just a few feet in front of them.
As is tradition, they wanted this specific spot and were willing to do whatever it took to get it.
"Once the parade ends, everybody mass exits to this spot and I don’t have to move because I’m already here," a smiling Aundrea said.
Both were bundled up in snowsuits and wore hats, gloves and boots. Mom had coffee. They chatted with each other and on the phone to pass the time.
Neisha, 19, said she and her mom, usually joined by friends and family, have long claimed this location to watch the parade followed by the annual Coeur d’Alene Resort Holiday Lighting Ceremony and fireworks.
"Ever since I can remember I’ve loved watching fireworks," she said.
Neisha, a fifth-generation Coeur d'Alene resident, said it's a family tradition she introduced to friends from Wyoming. It both welcomed them to the Farmer family and to Coeur d'Alene.
"They’ve never done anything like this before," she said.
So, why not just leave the chairs and come back like everyone else?
"Once you leave, then where are you going to park when you come back down?" Aundrea said.
Besides, mom and daughter enjoy each other's company.
The two rose early for some Black Friday shopping at the Spokane Valley Mall and found a few deals.
"I got this hat,” Neisha said.
But it's not about hot buys, Aundrea said.
"It's more just for time together," she said.
Black Friday remains a Farmer favorite with the parade, which Aundrea described as "down-to-earth fun," and the fireworks, which she said "are better than any other fireworks any time of the year."
Aundrea has also become an ambassador of Coeur d'Alene as she waits for the parade.
"The last two or three years I have been the person who gets stopped and asked all the questions," she said, laughing. "I'm like 'Do I know all the answers?' I guess, maybe.’"
ARTICLES BY BILL BULEY
Companions Animal Center has adopted out nearly 2,000 dogs, cats in 2025
Companions Animal Center has adopted out nearly 2,000 dogs, cats in 2025
As if to prove it, signs on two kennel doors proclaim “I have been adopted! I’m currently waiting to be picked up by my new parents.” One is a timid black mastiff. But the shelter remains crowded. Monday, it has about 50 large dogs filling kennels, including in the new wing oped this year, and there is still a four-month waiting list with names of about 80 dogs that people are looking to surrender pets.
Post Falls man named director of ministry with global reach
Post Falls man named director of ministry with global reach
Grassi, a longtime hunter and fisherman, started what was originally called “Let’s Go Fishing Ministry, Inc.” with a focus on outdoors, men and God. It was later changed to “Men’s Ministry Catalyst." The emphasis was on helping men understand their role as defined in the Bible.
Nonprofit foundation helps family become homeowners for first time
Nonprofit foundation helps family become homeowners for first time
The Young Family’s Foundation launched about a year ago with a mission "to empower young, hardworking families to achieve the dream of home ownership. Even if a family saved $25,000, they would still be $19,000 short of the down payment needed to buy a $550,000 home, which is the median price in Kootenai County. It’s estimated that only about 20% of area households can afford to buy a home.