What did everyone think of the BHS parade?.

It ran just a bit too long this year. Needed an edit. It's also sad that all the marching bands (all being only three) have to go at the front. I could use some music further down. I wonder, does the Chamber send invites to Forsyth, Jordan, Hysham et al to ask them if they could send bands?

I enjoyed the parade... Especially the amount of hard work put into a few floats... First Interstate Banks giant cowboy hat...and the Eagles Manor float... But I think businesses should not be able to wash their vehicle, slap a sign on it...and pull their trailer down the street, that got old watching every construction company pull their enclosed trailer with name painted on the side while throwing candy at kids...they should have to make floats too... or at least have something cool like Sanjel trucks to look at...or Kiwi pete's bucket truck. Just my 2 cents...

I enjoyed the bands, floats, the fun things but I didn't like all the loud smelly trucks, tractors etc. They kept coming and coming.

In response to Amorette's interest in "editing" the parade, I would think if there weren't any of the enormous gaps in the presentations it would help. I was disappointed that the local FFA wasn't identified as such, but Plevna's was. Didn't see any 4H floats this year. Maybe they are awaiting the Stockgrowers parade. Several of the units seen frequently before were missing, perhaps for the same reason. For some reason the bands seem to be missing more and more. On a different note, our grandkids joined us this year and being older felt they could take bigger risks to get more candy. That's disturbing. I know the outside people helping the Stephensons/Grierson 6 horse team were quite anxious. but I love a parade and appreciate the gals from Bozeman coming this far to perform. I think the Caledonians put on an impressive show too.

Agree on most points. This was my first one in over a decade and seemed to go on forever with many entries just being someones truck. I'd love to see more bands. As always the Sheridan band is my favorite.

"I was disappointed that the local FFA wasn't identified as such, but Plevna's was. Didn't see any 4H floats this year."

WHAT!! NO FFA or 4-H floats As one who walked down main street dressed as an outhouse in 1975, I am very saddened to hear such things.

Sounds like we need the Captain and my mom to beat some people back into submission.

[This message has been edited by Richard Bonine, Jr (5/19/2009)]

The thing that bothered me most was that Stevenson and Sons were throwing lapel pins that had a logo for a brand of whiskey...

?? Are you sure that wasn't the Bison Bar... I don't recall anyone throwing anything off of either of the Stevenson and Sons horse drawn entries... I do know the Bison Bar had Pendleton stuff they were throwing off of their wagon...

I liked it, but i don't think that just anyone who wants to drive their modern day pickup in the parade for no reason should be able to do so. it was a little pointless

Maybe it was the Bison. Guess that would make more sense! They must have been right in front or behind them...oops!

I have to second the thumbs down on the pickup truck "floats". If businesses want free advertising in the BHS parade I don't think it's too much to ask to put some effort into making your entry something that is actually entertaining to look at.

Stevenson and Sons passing out whiskey tokens would be kinda funny. "Mourning a loved one? Drown your sorrows with JamesonT Irish Whiskey. It goes down smooth!"

The Stockgrowers parade next month has restrictions, like no post-1959 vehicles. I'm hoping it will be a dandy!

hahaha....so the BHS parade sucked, just like I predicted....when other posters here told me I was wrong.

But, I was right! You were wrong! The BHS parade sucks! A sad remnant of the parades of yesteryear.

Miles City should be ashamed of itself.

I really enjoyed the parade with one HUGE complaint. My 12 year old daughter, her friend, my 9 month old son and myself were in front of the Big Sky Pharmacy having a great time. A gentleman in an older red, white and blue car in the parade stopped, squealed his tires to the point his back end was fish tailing all over the place and tore down the parade route. In doing so, my daughter, who is in a full leg brace, took many rocks to the head. Her friend was pulling rocks and dirt out of her hair and my once "in a great mood" 9 month old was wailing since he got a face full of dirt and rocks as well. To me it was beyond rude, uncalled for and a safety risk at that.

I know alot of people around me were NOT happy about the little stunt and talked about putting in a complaint although I don't know who you would speak with or if it would be worth it.

If you are the driver, please remember that the parade is one of the few events for BHS that a family can go to and what you did was not as cool as you thought at the time.

Just my 2 cents for what it is worth.

.

I totally agree Janel and I've also heard several other people (mostly mother's of small children) that feel the same way. Our kids were enjoying the parade until the same car unexpectedly did a burn out in front of us further down the route than where you were. Our three year old about jumped out of his hide, covered his ears and wouldn't go for more candy for some time after that. I guess I don't understand why it's allowed in a parade or why an adult would think that it was cool in the first place. It made me cringe for the row of senior citizens that were also sitting right there getting the hearing aids blown out of their ears and smoke/exhaust blowing them out of their chairs!!!! Save the burnouts for the drag races...

Wow, yeah the cops should have been waiting for him at the end of the parade route. Doing that on an empty street is one thing, doing it while surrounded by pedestrians could be deadly.

Ya, I had the same feeling about the horses. I saw one of them almost step on some kids feet and the S... on the steet did not smell good to me at all. They should probably do something a little different there also.

Some of you people would complain if you were hung with a new fleece lined rope.

Just sayin'

Amen!!!!!!!!! Richard!!!!!!

Richard,
I hope that I am not complaining just to complain. To me, flying rocks in a crowd of little kids as well as a fishtailing car between rows of pedestrians is way more of a safety hazard than a "complaint". My kids could have been seriously hurt had they been hit in the eye and I didn't appreciate it nor did a lot of other people along the route.
If you complain about the horses that is like complaining about too much beer. That is what the BHS parade is, squealing tires is not the parade norm.
Sorry, didn't mean to be a complainer!

AMEN RICHARD!

...maybe you people should keep your kids out of the street during the parade. What was that child doing so close to the horses to begin with??? Let me guess, running, carelessly without looking... to get more candy. Just what the over weight children need these days... MORE CANDY! If you are a caring parent, and want your child safely away from parade horses...keep them on the dang curb...it's not rocket science. But, then again, maybe the children should stand in the street and the parade walk down the sidewalks...would that make you happy?

The "burning rubber" really was annoying. I am an adult, who was not in the street chasing candy, and found it offensive, both for the noise and the stink. No one around me thought it was cute. One couple's six month old son, who had been peaceful up until then, starting crying and his papa rushed him into my office to get him away from the smoke and noise.

The car was lovely and could be appreciated without the middle-aged driver trying to pretend he was a selfish sixteen year old. The oil burning tractors have to put off smoke to move but this was done just for "entertainment" and for the annoyance factor, plus the smoke from the tractors mostly rose above the crowd.

Although that low rider thing, which was amusing, did put off a huge crowd of black smoke that was not appreciated by the people who got a face full of it.

You do need to assume that not everyone likes smoke and stink when appearing in a parade.

Exactly, thanks Amorette. We were attending the Bucking "HORSE" Parade and all that that entails. Lots of horses, lots of businesses and their equipment, and lots and lots and lots of tractors. I keep an eye on my kids, do not let them run out for any candy in the street just what's thrown or handed right to them, and we enjoy the parade. I have no control over some idiot doing a burnout right in front of us!!! I'll be sure to keep the 3year old home during the parades where burnouts are appropriate, and they can blow smoke to their hearts content!

Well at least everyone remembers the burnout car..what else was in the parade that you all can remember???

I totally agree with Janel and the car that was rude. I for one was in the parade on horseback and had a horse (not mine) stop while going down mainstreet to relieve himself. While it is embarassing for the rider a horse does not know the difference of where is proper place to go to the bathroom.

I think you might be a little to knit picky about horses. As far as kids and horses. There was kids running and grown ups walking all around the horses. As for myself and our group of riders we were watching all the people and where they were going so they could stay safe. We also try and make sure that our horses would never intentionly hurt someone.

I don't think the car driver was tring to hurt anyone either just a little show for the parade crowd. I liked it....

Of course he wasn't trying to hurt anyone, but he was doing it anyway, and if his tires had hooked up unexpectedly he could have driven over somebody. Just because you're not trying to hurt anyone doesn't excuse irresponsible behavior.

As far as horses go, if you don't like the smell of horse manure then maybe the bucking horse sale just isn't the event for you. I also don't think the parade should be responsible for kids running out into the street. Of course the only way to stop that would probably be to ban the candy throwing which has always been a big part of parades around here.

Guess you wouldn't like it if someone did a burnout with a Rumley Oil pull. I guarantee lots of smoke.

I understand the concern about the tire-peeling, and that particular hullabaloo seems legit to me.

When it comes to children nearly being stepped on, the responsibility for avoiding kiddo squishage falls squarely on the shoulders of the child's parents. Be the grown-up and be attentive to your kids.

But c'mon! Bears crap in the woods; horses crap on Main Street come parade time. It happens. This is Eastern Montana, people. Yeesh!

Frankly, I've never been to any parade that featured livestock where manure wasn't deposited on the road at some point.

And Richard - people tend to complain when they're being hanged with any sort of rope. The rope isn't what people complain about in such situations.

[This message has been edited by Brian A. Reed (5/21/2009)]

Ryan you would like it you were the driver!!!!
the crowd I was in was a mix of all ages and NONE of them LIKED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey Janel thanks for your 2 cents. Heres my 2 cents... lose some weight

Wow... steelerfan's first and last post.

It isn't necessary to be rude, You probably have your imperfections.

Hey Janel thanks for your 2 cents. Heres my 2 cents... lose some weight

Here's hoping Janel's husband hurls a baseball at your center mass. Let's see how quick you are on your feet, ass.

Oh, wait - he threw in a wink! I guess that makes your assery okay.