I LOVE A PARADE!

For the past 48 years, Nevada City, California has held its annual Constitution Day Parade.  It is reported to be the oldest and largest Constitution observance in West of the Rockies.

Since my mother lives up in the area of Nevada City, my husband and I drove up there from Stockton today and brought her with us to watch the parade.  Although the weather was very warm, the skies were a beautiful blue in the Sierra Nevada foothills today.

My very pathetic & lame attempt at a selfie of me and my husband.

The judges review stand.  

This marching band traveled 250 miles - Watsonville, California to Nevada City, California - to be in the parade!

Love the authentic Revolutionary War era costumes.

The Ophir Prison Marching Kazoo Band & Temperance Society - these guys are not really prisoners and most certainly are  not temperate, but they are a most excellent marching band!

Above is Barack Obama and FLOTUS, the tail end of over 150 people who portrayed all 44 U.S. Presidents and their First Ladies. No you aren't seeing things - that is a cardboard cut-out of Michelle Obama! The Famous Marching Presidents of Nevada City, California  describe themselves as " a unique collection of citizens who see it as their civic responsibility to portray the 44 Presidents of the United States and their first ladies in honor of Constitution Day, the signing of the document that frames this country."

The parade had over 75 entries from all over California including two high school marching bands and a couple of elementary schools as well.  The wonderful Shriners were there, some dressed as clowns and driving in their little cars.  There were antique automobiles, fire trucks and horse drawn carriages.  There were politicians riding in shiny new convertibles.  The Captain John Oldham Chapter, NSDAR marched in the parade with a 15ft x 21ft recreation of the U.S. Flag that flew over Ft. McHenry when Francis Scott Key wrote the Star Spangled Banner in 1814.  It had 15 stripes and 15 stars.  This year marks the 200th anniversary of the Star Spangled Banner!