If you or your company is going to be in the BHS Parade this year, please do ANYTHING other than drive your company truck down main street. It is so boring to watch. I might as well be sitting on Haynes Ave watching the traffic role by. Decorate! at the very least. Use some sliver of imagination that you gotta have somewhere and do something half way interesting. Please, I am begging you.

Now usually I could care less, because I haven't gone the BHS Parade in years because of the exact thing I am talking about in the above rant. But this year is different and there is a slight chance that I will be at the parade. Babies will do that. Or I might go fishing.

Horses are cool. Marching Bands are cool. Floats are cool. Driving the Midrivers, Sanjel truck, etc...down Mainstreet makes me think of Glendive.

How do you feel about Mule Trains?

I like mule trains. Especially when they are loaded down with gold, whiskey, and women.

Maybe you should have been a cowboy?

"Horses are cool. Marching Bands are cool. Floats are cool. Driving the Midrivers, Sanjel truck, etc...down Mainstreet makes me think of Glendive."

I don't know how to post so that it has the box around it. I also agree about the trucks and all the cars being in the parade. They are loud and quite frankly scare a lot of the little kids. I've seen it. If you do put the trucks and cars in the parade please put them last and let all the horses, floats, and bands go ahead of you.

The Sanjel trucks are kind of cool but don't blow your big air horn. That is annoying to many people and downright frightening to small children. As for other trucks, unless they look like something out of a steampunk video game, just driving them down the street is DULL.

I also HATE people who think spinning their slick tires and putting out noxious smoke is "cool." Since these people are inevitably tobacco users, they probably aren't bothered but many people are. Plus throwing gravel into the face of babies and the elderly is usually a bad idea.

BHS is late this year. Providing the world doesn't end on Saturday, let's see some imagination and effort into the parade this year. The theme is even vaguely inspirational so go for it!

Milescity would be the perfect environment for steampunks, wish there were more around here.
It would be cool to see people in suedoperiod garb walking the streets more. Milescity needs more ghost walks I guess.

Some of you people would bitch if you were hung with a new rope! There are many towns of the same size as Miles City that never have a parade. And you all want to dictate the kind of entries and there "loudness" or other items that might cause you slight discomfort. I'm not sure you deserve a parade. You should be more thankful, tolerant, and appreciative.

[This message has been edited by Richard Bonine, Jr. (4/27/2011)]

I also HATE people who think spinning their slick tires and putting out noxious smoke is "cool." Since these people are inevitably tobacco users, they probably aren't bothered but many people are - Amorette Allison

What a rediculous comment, I don't even know where to start on this one. All car junkies, 4 wheelers, hot rodders, etc are obviously addicted to tobacco products. We also kill trees for fun, dump oil on the ground whenever possible, support anything and everything that involves ruining property, lives, and the environment!

Unbelievable the ignorance of some people and there comments.

Now, on to the subject. The parade is a great thing and thoroughly enjoyed by many people. If you don't like it then don't go! The Sanjel trucks are cool to see up close, air horns are always a good time, and believe it or not there are people out there that would rather see a fully restored lime green Dodge Challenger than a horse.

Ditto!

Classic cars are cool, so are air horns. Late-model pickup trucks with a company logo painted on the door...not what anyone came to the parade to see.

A few years ago, when some idiots were spinning their tires, they threw gravel into people's faces, including a small child in a stroller. Did not make a good impression.

And while many people enjoy loud noises, small children DO NOT. Having had some cowering in my office during those loud noises is my argument. Have consideration for everyone, not just your friends.

The amount of stereotyping you do Amorette is a little out of control. I have children, 3 to be exact and the 1 time we were in town for the parade they loved it. They loved the "big trucks", the bands, the horses, the cars, everything. I also plan on taking my young daughter, she's 4, to the races this summer as she enjoys cars, but she will not enjoy the noise for the longer period of time, so guess what, SHE WILL BE WEARING EAR PROTECTION. A little effort on my part and we can all have a good time.

I will agree with you on the tire spinning. It is not necessary and not really safe when the streets are lined with people. So I do offer 1 more event for the BHS weekend, A BURNOUT CONTEST! Obviously we know you will not be attending.

I agree that the BHS parade has had too many years of the "Stroll through the Yellow Pages" theme.

Work trucks with magnetic door signs for cheap advertising are different than restored classic trucks. I don't think anybody was suggesting the two were the same.

I want to know when "Parade of the over-50 wet tshirt march" will make a comeback?

Frank Hardy's Hawaiian Hot Dog House will be there this year again!

This year we have settled on a double length float shaped like a giant wiener with 5 huge colored leis (we had to be careful here since we had been sued by the Olympics for infringement before.)

We will have an ensemble of the Children's Ukelele Users atop strumming a series of tunes such as "Little Grass Shack" and "Tiny Bubbles".

I am still looking for the proper celebrity to ride along carrying our brand message "Why just Hula, when you can Hot Dog?"

If anyone has any suggestions or would like to volunteer, please respond here.

Thanks!


FH

Frank Hardy wrote:

"Why just Hula, when you can Hot Dog?"

+1 !!

Frank Hardy wrote:

Frank Hardy's Hawaiian Hot Dog House will be there this year again!

FHHHDH.... Yes, Pat, I'd like to buy a vowel.

Dan is right on with what I am talking about. Magentic signs on trucks and cars should not be in the parade. Classic cars should. I (and most others) like to see classic cars. Even better when the drivers dress for the period that the car was made...hint, hint.

Is Reader's Digest going to have an entry in this year's parade?

Here is a better reason cars shouldn't be allowed to spin their tires and do "burnouts" during the parade:

Drag-racing stunt kills six in Tennessee

Sun Jun 17, 2007 7:57pm EDT

NASHVILLE, Tenn., June 17 (Reuters) - State police in Tennessee investigating a drag-racing stunt that killed six people and injured 18 were seeking photographs and video on Sunday of the accident at a charity event for children.

The dragster car, with professional driver Troy Critchley at the wheel, went out of control on Saturday while performing a "burnout" -- sending up clouds of smoke by spinning the tires.

The accident happened during a parade at the Cars for Kids fund-raising event in Selmer, about 80 miles (130 km) east of Memphis.

Two people died at the scene and four died in hospital. The dead were between 15 and 20 years old, Tennessee Highway Patrol spokesman Mike Browning said.

Eighteen injured people, including Critchley, were taken to area hospitals.

Browning said officers were seeking pictures and video that spectators may have taken.

One video showed the dragster spinning its tires, speeding down a roadway lined with spectators and then skidding into the crowd amid screams and a cloud of white smoke.

The Commercial Appeal newspaper in Memphis said uneven pavement and the crowded road were factors being blamed for the crash.

http://www.reuters.com/ar...SN17203552

Out of curiosity, what condition/s are contributing to this parade of businesses advertising?

Is it such an open entry with regards to guidelines that all one has to do is pay a fee and that's all that's needed to qualify?

Would this be something that suggests there's short-term vision for the parade (ie. entry fees make money) and maybe it's lacking the long-term goal of being something worth seeing as a genuine event? If so, might some standards and guidelines be in order? Or, are there already standards in place?

Some of the issues at hand:

Wanting enough entries to constitute a parade.

Entry Fees - money is always nice to have.

The parade has to be worth seeing - attendance makes these other things go 'round.

If attendance drops because the parade ceases to be worth attending - there's a circular problem.

If guidelines are created to cut down on the blatant ad-only entries would those entries bail entirely or would they rise to the challenge of being parade-worthy - knowing they'd still be able to advertise?

Is there a bigger problem of cost-benefit making it only worthwhile to pay a cheap entry fee to advertise on a truck - but not worth the money to be creative?


So, who or what agency does the sharp pencil work on all of this?

Mandyrosy wrote:

The Commercial Appeal newspaper in Memphis said uneven pavement and the crowded road were factors being blamed for the crash.

The only factor that should be blamed for the crash is the idiot behind the gas pedal. This is not much different than the two idiots who did this about 5 feet from my child last year, except ours are just idiots and not professional idiots.

Really? Burnouts were ever actually allowed on Main Street as part of the parade? I'm having trouble believing that. Bad idea.
I do recall Main Street burnouts being required in front of the Bison Bar late one evening during the BHS, however. Again I deny being involved in that in any way, my friends and I had chosen to be amongst the drunks and not be driving after drinking. Those were the conditions under which I could take my car to town!
Mandy, the tragedy you're talking about involved speed more than anything. Street burnouts don't involve much forward movement of the car. Still, a tire can come apart or a wheel or axle could break and parts flying could certainly kill someone.
The work trucks you're all talking about should at least have people in back throwing out candy to kids. Or beer to the drunks, and MM to those in pain.

I don't know if they were "allowed" last year, some guy was just doing it. I don't think that they are legal under normal circumstances so I don't imagine that they are during a parade either. I personally put a few miles on my car while standing still as a youngster and while there isn't much forward motion while the "burnout" is happening, when the tires hook up, you can go forward very quickly and unexpectedly in an unpredictable direction. It's not something that you should be doing near trees, buildings, or especially people and not something that you should do in a car that you like.

You can search for "burnout fail" on youtube if you want hundreds of examples. The one below should be watched on mute if you don't like swearing.

The only fail I see here is the failure to remove the driver from the gene pool.

With all this legal talk about what should be at the parade I was wondering if it is legal to actually block off main street being it is actually considered a main highway through town. I am sure that the MDT maintains this road(highway).

You have to get a permit from MDT for the parade. Believe it or not, after 50+ years of parades, the folks in charge know this.

I think those huge Sanjel trucks all polished up look kinda cool.It's been several years since I made the parade,but I don't recall any little kids cowering from the truck horns.I do recall a bunch of little kids scooping up candy that the Sanjel guys were throwing out.I don't think it's really that much of an advertising thing with them anyway.Personally,besides having numerous friends that work there,I feel that Sanjel gives our community a huge economic boost.
The BHS parade usually has several groups of people riding horseback that represent no organization.In my opinion it adds nothing to the parade,but so what? It's free entertainment and the next act is about two minutes away.

I do like the Sanjel trucks. They look so steampunk. I have had kids cowering in my office, though. I can name a few names. Remember, children have MUCH more sensitive hearing than adults and a loud sound can literally be painful.

I can name a few names.

Please don't. I don't think Bart would appreciate it.

So.....
1. Floats with toilet paper stuffed in chicken wire.
2. Horses (as long as they don't poop on the street)
3. A Band (Rosebud's and Sacred Heart's riding band can't participate, because they're riding and that's not cool....)
And...no bag pipes, it gives me indigestion.
4. No one can throw candy either a child got clocked in the noggin last year... (and actually I think it's illegal in Montana...)
5. No tractors, I've lost my hearing from years of watching them go past the Bison, they are loud.
6. If you want to drive your old car ya gotta dress up in the era.



Stay home and watch it on the milescam if you can't handle all that fun.

You people would bitch about the taxes if you won the lottery...

Actually, it is illegal to throw candy from moving vehicles. Has been for years. Is generally ignored.

No one is complaining about bands, horses, or floats. Just unnecessary loud noises and people who see free advertising as parade material.

I love bands. I love floats (although they are pretty much a thing of the past.) I love horses. I love unicyclists. I love old tractors. I love old cars. I love everything except for the two problems listed above.

I haven't missed a parade in over a decade and I intend to be there this year. If it gets loud and/or dull, I'll go inside and come out when it gets better.

yeah! No throwing candy!! last year my kid got hit in the head with a "Now & Later" and it was LEMON flavored!!

can you believe it? where is all the RED candies?

"Why just Hula, when you can Hot Dog?"

Jared from Subway fame may be available?? You could do a promotion of eating only hotdogs? That would be cool!

Alright, you have convinced me to go fishing instead. thanks mc.com

Okay I wanna see Ross Matthews do some live, on the street interviews for the Jay Leno show. This will be good.

Mandyrosy Drag Racing and a Burnout are completely different.. but I agree its not appropriate for the parade. As far as the loud horns and stuff.. I loved to hear the steam engine come down at the end blaring the horn when I was a youngster. If the Sanjel guys can't honk there horns, then the cops/ambulance/firetrucks should not beable to run there sirens either, its just as loud.
Wear ear protection if its to loud for you or your children.

Yes, they are different but the dragsters was doing a burnout when it had the accident, not a race.

"...speeding down a roadway lined with spectators..."

What is a "Sanjel truck?"

I don't like candy-throwing in parades either. I'm glad they don't do it in MC. I wish we could implement that here, but it would probably kill off the parades we do have --- I swear, some people live to throw candy off parade vehicles.

I have never seen the BHS parade ... I always have to work that day. Maybe someday!

I agree that spinning tires in a parade is stupid and dangerous.

I also agree that commercial vehicles are dull in a parade. There should be an entry fee for those kind of vehicles....their owners pay for other forms of advertising, so why not the BHS parade?