Omaha World Herald
Published Sunday August 27, 2006
BY RICK RUGGLES AND ELIZABETH AHLIN
Less than a month of summer remains and students are returning to school, so communities bunched festivals and parades into a warm Saturday in the Omaha metro area.
From Bellevue to Dundee to Millard, revelers soaked up 75-degree temperatures and sun, once it broke through an overcast morning.
A cannon’s blast marked the beginning of Bellevue’s Arrows to Aerospace parade. The cannon belongs to a group called the 2nd Maryland Regiment of Foot, which displays the uniforms, weapons and music of the American Revolution.
“There’s an old joke about cannoneers,” said Mark Poindexter, a member of the Revolutionary War group. “If you see a cannoneer with all his fingers and hands, he’s a good cannoneer.”
“Either that or he’s new,” piped up fellow member Steven Gifford.
Once the smoke from the cannon cleared, the 80 entrants and groups in the parade prepared to move.
Bellevue scoutmaster Harry Coultas brought his little black dog Pearl along for the walk. Coultas identified Pearl’s breed as “mutt.”
Pearl drank water from the lid of Coultas’ water bottle and seemed curious about every object and color along the start of the parade route.
The Dundee Days parade a bit later in the day was a small neighborhood affair, and that’s the way people like it. There were no flashy floats or Shriners tearing around in miniature cars.
The Central High School marching band, dressed in tuxedo T-shirts, performed. The spectators were so close to the marchers that at times it was hard to tell who was who.
Dundee Days’ parade was brief, but the festivities continued. Some of the groups marching in the parade had booths along Underwood Avenue.
Jugglers who walked in the band attracted a crowd in the middle of the street, and a six-piece band that had closed out the parade immediately set up in front of the Dundee Dell bar and restaurant.
At Millard Days, which concludes today, Millard West High School students showed off the long, low-slung, slick-looking vehicle they created for an Omaha Public Power District competition.
The vehicle, rolling on two bicycle tires in front and one moped scooter tire in back, is propelled by an electric motor.
If not for its futuristic appearance, the vehicle might have been overlooked because of the abundance of Shriners, politicians, high school bands, Scout troops and dance teams in the parade.
Spectators sat and stood four and five deep at the end of the route, along 136th Street.
Jay Saker, 12, of Tabor, Iowa, sold pop and cookies from his grandmother’s front yard. Asked how his business was doing, the boy responded: “Um, OK.”
His grandmother, Dee Buckley, said she has lived in the house with the tidy lawn in front for 38 years. In that time, she has seen a lot of Millard Days go by. As she spoke, her grandson sold a Pepsi and a couple of chocolate cookies.
Omaha.com: Festivals offer 3 times the fun