Naturally, I can’t let the Water Tower Festival parade occur without comment. As with all things, parades have a fascinating history, wrought with purpose. Military parades touted victories and established rule. Religious parades utilized the gathering of many as a giant platform to spread beliefs.
Throughout the ages, parades have boosted morale, spread news of a changing world, ignited passions for social reform, provided much-needed lightness in a dark world, and created a purpose to gather in fellowship with others. For more history on parades, click here.
Humans are social creatures. We like to celebrate together. Or commiserate together. We like to speak about the things we are passionate about and share our sorrows with others. Parades are the perfect way to express this need.
This year’s parade theme, Storybooks on Parade, has a lot more depth than what one might think at a quick glance.
Stories enlighten, educate, entertain, and engage people of all ages. Most stories have a message or two tucked between the pages. In a way, our bookshelves and To Be Read piles are a parade of who we are and what we believe. They are filled with hope and faith, love and joy, trial and tribulation. They excite the senses and engage us in what could or should be. Or conversely, what shouldn’t.
Books have as much power over shaping who we are as the military, world leaders, religion, or social justice.
Celebrate the books you have read and the ones yet to come. And don’t forget to join us at the library for all your literary needs. Because the great thing about libraries and parades: they are free and open to the public.
Please join us at the Water Tower Festival parade on Saturday morning. Afterward, the library will open at 11:30am for you to stop by and register for a chance to win a free Kindle. For those new to the library, pick up a library card and a few books to enjoy after the Water Tower Festival is over.
happy marching~ jody
Nice post! Community Library & PAFL were the perfect fit to have grand marshaled the 2019 parade. The Chamber of Commerce, Water Tower Festival, and Meinders Community Library are terrific places to come together. Or, as Meinders’ motto so aptly puts it, “Get Connected!”