AFTER THE PARADE-CARNIVAL 2015

   I don’t know about you, but I was a bit disappointed with the Carnival parade this year. It’s my favorite annual event, or it used to be. We’ve had some really great parades over the years. One year, we had an elephant! Her name was Ruthie, and she lived in Harwich. I think Ron Robin hired her for the parade, and it was a well-kept secret in a town not known for secrets well-kept or otherwise. We may think we have secrets, but really, everybody knows just about everything about everybody else here, don’t they? And an elephant is a big secret to keep well! But she came rumbling through town, amazing all, patiently plodding along Commercial Street in the Carnival Parade.

   Another year there were no motorized floats. Everybody was either on foot, skateboard, or bicycle, and it really brought out some fabulously creative parade-ers.

   I used to be in the parade. I did it for three or four years, when I worked at The Crown & Anchor. The year we did “PIRATES OF PENZANCE” in the Back Room, the whole cast was in the parade, riding on a flatbed truck with all the drag queens. The following year, they rented a vintage car for me and Michael Greer, who dressed as Max Headroom. It was lots of fun, but the only problem with being in the parade is you don’t get to see the parade. Also, it’s very long, as anyone who has waited west of Johnson Street can tell you. There were several years when B. and I used to go to Ray Peloquin’s party, ‘way down by the Coast Guard station. He’d lay down an oriental, position couches and cocktail tables all around, set up a grill and a bar, and we’d relax in comfort watching the shreds of the parade limp past. Maybe not the best way to do it, but certainly a fresh perspective. You notice things, like after a long, hot ride in the sun, makeup and wigs are the first to go. Then heels.

   Having managed an apartment building on the parade route, I am not a fan of the tradition of throwing candy, but I realize I’m in the minority on this. It’s not just the Carnival parade. All the parades do it, and it’s very hard to clean up. Given the theme of this year’s event, I can’t help imagining Commercial Street as something akin to flypaper right around now.

   Even if the floats were a bit ho-hum this year, it’s still a great feeling to see so many gay people in one place having such a good time. Every year I get all teary and proud as I watch the celebration, and so if one year isn’t quite as good as others have been, it’s still the same pride and joy and it’s so good to see and feel it.