Tuesday, November 29, 2022

Community Parade - Milford, Delaware

The night before we headed out north to Wilmington, Delaware for a MRI for Dave, we attended a community parade (Halloween time) in Milford, Delaware.  It used to be called the Halloween Parade but political correctness haters indicated with slight sneers that the name had to be changed.  The parade began 70 years ago during World War II. 

We'd heard from the docent at the John Dickinson Plantation just outside of Dover Air Force Base, that the Citizens Hose Company Band would be marching in this parade.  We wanted to see and hear them.  And we did.  It was a really nice parade.  We loved seeing how many different people from surrounding communities and business came out with floats.  I waved and smiled a lot.  It made me happy to see the level of participation.  If they can spend the time getting floats together and ride the route waving, I can stand there and wave back and enjoy the moment. 

The theme this year was "splish splash".  

My pictures suck.  Sorry.  But the parade was fun.  The Medings Seafood restaurant, Milford, had two of their vintage vehicles in the parade and I think one was a boat, which would make sense, right?  A guy on one of their vehicles was waving to the crowd and pointed right at me and gave the peace sign and a thumbs up.  I responded in kind.  Also with a big smile.  

It was a bit cold and breezy to be standing there for the parade but I wanted to see the Milford High School Marching Band which I figured was going to be bringing up the rear.  It did.  It was fun.

When the Citizens Hose Company Marching Band (volunteer fire department band from Smyrna, Delaware) came by Dave joked that we could be in it.  His meaning was that they were not very good and even with us not playing instruments for years, we could still fake it enough to contribute.  I love the idea of that marching band and don't want it to have to fold so I'm sorry to criticize.  The musicians have full time jobs.  I suppose.  They donate their time and passion.  I suppose.  They date back to 1947.  True dat. And they've played for Presidents Eisenhower and Clinton.  The fire company itself has marched in parades since 1886. Paul Yoder, a world-renowned composer and arranger, wrote "I Love Old Smyrna" which is the band's theme song now.  

Yoder was born in 1908 in Tacoma, Washington and died in Hendersonville, North Carolina in 1990.  He spent time in Japan after WWII.  He wrote or arranged many pieces still used today and it is said that a band student in the years between 1930 snd 1970 in the US would probably had played a Yoder piece. 








 

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