Spectators brave downpour for 77th Lilac Parade
A torrential downpour early Saturday evening sent parade floats under the cover of a nearby overpass, but the rain ended in time for the 77th annual Armed Forces Torchlight Parade.
The floats were parked nose-to-tail three abreast under the overpass as their creators tried to keep rain from ruining months of hard work. The Aladdin-themed Reardan-Edwall float called “Magic Carpet Ride” only took six weeks to make thanks to long hours. It wasn’t unusual for the princesses and their parents to come home at 2 a.m. after working on the float.
“We work until it’s done,” said Amanda Wichterman, who helped build the float. “A couple of times we do all-nighters.”
The three Reardan-Edwall princesses were wearing bathrobes over their fancy dresses as they waited for the parade to begin. All confessed to practicing their waves for the big night.
“I’m a little excited and nervous,” said Princess Samantha Weaver.
Down the line at the Freeman Float, half a dozen fourth-graders were excited to take their places on a float based on the movie “Big Hero 6.” Every year all the fourth-graders in Freeman write an essay about why they should get to ride on the Lilac Parade float and six winners are selected. The winners and their parents pick a theme and then start building a float in December.
“I’ve always wanted to be in the Lilac Parade,” said Kelsey Koch, age 9. “My family has a tradition of being in the parade.”
Koch was slated to dress up as Go Go, while 10-year-old Lily Jones was given the role of Honey Lemon. In her essay, Jones said she was willing to wear a costume and dance, both of which she would soon do in the parade.
The parade kicked off with a flyover by a KC-135 tanker from the Fairchild Air Force Base 92nd Air Refueling Wing. Two Coeur d’Alene Police Department cars were near the front of the parade in memory of Sgt. Greg Moore, who was killed in the line of duty last week. The cars bore stickers on the side that said “Thank you” in large letters.
There were 192 entries in the parade, including about 40 bands. The military and veterans floats and groups garnered cheers and applause from the crowd, and many people who sat in camping chairs stood to show respect as they went by.
Sgt. Austin Coleman of the 92nd Force Support Squadron was one of many Fairchild airmen stationed along the parade route to provide crowd control. Every time an American flag went past, whether it was carried by the Fairchild Honor Guard or a man on a motorcycle, he came to attention and saluted.
As the parade began – after all their hard work and worry about the rain – Koch and Jones stood proudly on the glowing, sparkling float as they followed the Freeman High School Marching Band down the road.