Spirit Lake’s Labor Day Parade on Sunday firmed up its claim as the world’s shortest parade.

“We lost it but I think we got it back this year,” said Terrie Hauck, who along with husband Tim Nersinger formed the Color Guard that led the parade of about five entries.

The Army veterans were pulling double duty. They left City Park, where they were helping prepare free corn on the cob, to set the pace for the parade, and then hustled right back to the corn.

“We love it,” Hauck said.

The entire parade took maybe three minutes, lasted two blocks, and attracted about 40 spectators — some of those emerging from the Maine Street bars to watch on a sunny morning, and a handful of kids chasing down candy.

It would have been even shorter if Janelle Starr hadn’t asked husband Ryan if they should go play their bagpipes in the parade that morning.

“We weren’t doing anything. I said, ‘Do you want to go play one more time for the year? All the parades are done,'” Janelle Starr said.

Ryan said sure, and they traveled from their Hayden home and got there with time to spare for the 11 a.m. start, joined by fellow bagpiper Scott Little of Twin Lakes.

Little, who taught in Spirit Lake for more than two decades, said while it was a short parade, it was worth it.

“You play a few tunes and boom, you’re done,” Little said, smiling.

Sisters Caren Spencer and Peggy Esterly were the hit of the parade as they wore salt and pepper outfits as part of the Salt and Pepper Bistro entry, with Dave Esterly driving the classic old truck.

Peggy said they recently sold the Old West Hardware Store on Maine Street after owning it for about 40 years and retired.

"So now we have time to do these things," she said.

The festivities continued at City Park with food, crafts and a car show.

Roy Racy VFW Post 1473, as usual, was giving out free corn on the cob, about 500 this year.

“It’s just a tradition we like to do,” said Dave Sawley, post commander, who sat down to try the corn before the crowds rolled in. "The kids love it."

He said it gives them an opportunity to talk with people and perhaps even recruit new members.

“You never know,” Sawley said.

Post 1473 also sponsored the classic car show featuring about 100 vintage vehicles, including a 1947 Sedan Delivery Chevrolet owned by Bryan Tolbert of Sagle.

He bought it about 10 years ago, restored it over two years, and now occasionally drives it.

It just turned 21,000 miles since he got it.

Well, a little more now.

“Twenty-one thousand and one mile on the way here,” Tolbert said.