Kid Cavalcade Youngsters Strut Their Stuff In Gala Junior Lilac Parade

Bad weather didn’t rain on this parade.

Despite drizzle and chilly temperatures, thousands of people showed up downtown for Saturday’s Junior Lilac Parade.

None of the 9,000 kids who danced, played instruments and marched down the nine-block route seemed to notice.

Children smiled. Adults waved. Parents stood by with video cameras.

“You always get rain for weddings, funerals and parades,” said Julie Urlacher of Spokane, who watched the event from the back of her parked vehicle. “It’s cold, but it’s a short route.”

Fortunately for some, this year’s theme was “Outdoor Adventure.” So they dressed the part and prepared themselves for cool weather. Some wore hiking boots and khakis. A few were equipped with rain gear.

They walked for about 45 minutes carrying backpacks or fishing poles. One or two groups even brought waterproof tents.

The crowd of about 25,000 also came prepared. Most came at 8:30 a.m. to line the sidewalks with blankets and lawn chairs.

Lori Deckard of Rosalia woke up at 5:30 a.m. to help her flutist daughter get ready for the parade. She and her six nephews and nieces ate oranges and crackers as they waited for Rosalia Middle School’s band to hit the streets.

“The parade’s great,” Deckard said. “It puts the spotlight on the kids. It lets the younger kids glow and shine.”

The parade, sponsored by the Spokane Junior Chamber of Commerce, also is less overwhelming for the kids than the Lilac Torchlight Parade next week, parents said.

“We come because it’s a lot less hectic than the big parade,” said Debbie Lambert of Spokane, who brought her 4-year-old son. “It’s nice for him because he gets to see young people.”

“I like the drums,” said her son, Trevor, who blew a plastic horn to cheer for the marching students.

It started drizzling shortly after the parade started at 9 a.m. Those without umbrellas soon found themselves retreating to the cover of buildings or huddling together with blankets over their heads.

But the cold didn’t stop them from clapping their hands and dancing to “Louie, Louie” and other band staples. They spent more than an hour applauding for musicians and waving back to politicians in convertibles.

“This is fun,” said Matt Ymer of Spokane, who positioned himself with a video camera on the corner of Stevens and Spokane Falls Boulevard. “It’s nice for the kids.”

Like many longtime Spokane residents watching the parade, Laverene Morrow was nostalgic.

The 77-year-old woman hadn’t been to a Junior Lilac Parade since 1955. Back then, she watched her three children. Now, she’s back to cheer for her two granddaughters.

“This is fun,” she said, “especially when you’ve got someone in it.”