Canada Day parade begins in sun, ends in fun

Canada Day started out with a delicious and nutritious breakfast the way only fire fighters can make it at the Emergency Services Building. The fire trucks were parked outside and replaced with tables for hungry Canadians. Across the lot, raffle tickets were being sold for a logging truckload of firewood donated by Nacfor.

Shortly after breakfast, the parade lined up in glorious weather. This year, the Brits ‘Round BC joined the parade in the English cars. The group spent Canada Day in Nakusp, and mixed in to the line up nicely.

Unfortunately, as the Legion-led parade turned onto Broadway, the first drops of rain began to fall. From then on, the weather was varying degrees of inclement, and many if not most floats had umbrellas as part of their ensemble.

Even the ducks atop the fire truck who threw their sweets with a shout to “duck!” were under umbrellas. Not even good weather if you were a duck.

But it was warm enough, and the Rube Band, led by and energetic and funny Cassia Parent, didn’t seem to mind getting damp. They were able to carry along, and carry a tune too.

A dragon animated by Nakusp Parkour roamed the street, eternally chasing a silver ball, and there were horses, gardens, dancers, clowns, the army, and more. The Town Crier, Pat Dion, was finally jailed, and was resourcefully canvassing the crowd for bail money as he was driven down Broadway, hopefully enough to spring himself from the Joint.

Kids cleaned up on the candy, flag and stuffed animal front. The Hospital Auxiliary took pity on our children’s teeth and handed out teddy bears instead, with many of the volunteers taking shelter beneath a bear before handing it over to some sodden watcher.

Shortly before the parade ended, the ambulance, festooned with blue balloons, received a call and turned off Broadway, lights and sirens howling into action for work, not Canada Day. And the rain outlasted it all.