Good, refreshing fun

Police and ambulance sirens filled the air at noon on Saturday marking the start of the town parade and the highlight of Good Old Days weekend in St. Ignatius. Instead of signaling disaster, the emergency vehicles heralded the arrival of more than 60 floats winding their way through downtown Mission.

Floats ranging from Noah’s Ark to a drivable bathtub lined the streets carrying participants who threw candy at eager children and waved at laughing parents.

On the 27th Anniversary of Good Old Days, the parade was better than ever. Parade Coordinator Debbie McCollum said the parade usually lasts for 30 minutes, but this year the fun lasted closer to 45 minutes.

“I’m proud how the community pulls together to make this such a good parade and one of the largest in the valley,” McCollum said.

Tom McClure set up his seat for the parade 30 minutes before the start of the event and was rewarded with a prime spot next to the emcee downtown. It’s his 20th year watching the parade. He loves the variety, but keeps his eye out for the McDonald family dressed up in traditional regalia, which is his favorite part of the parade.

Another float that drew the cheers of the crowd and adoration of children on the street was a 40-foot long orange dragon by Stuart’s Service Center. Pneumatic cylinders powered by liquid nitrogen moved the head, tail and wings up and down, impressing the crowd.

Beside the floats, McCollum said the aspect that makes this parade unique to the valley is the emcee styling of Ed Rice announcing each float and verbally entertaining the crowd. Perched twenty feet above the ground on a scissor lift, Rice intermediately engaged in water fights with participants on the floats and teased familiar friends on other floats.

McCollum has been running the parade for the last 25 years, two years shy of its entire history. As an employee of Lake County Bank, which sponsors the parade, McCollum and her fellow employees were originally scheduled to take turns coordinating the parade. However, after her turn the change of coordinators stopped for good, giving her the job for the next 25 years.

The dog races, another popular Good Old Days tradition, followed the parade on Saturday. Dogs of all shapes and sizes sped down a 25-yard corridor, chasing after tennis balls, bits of bacon and their owners.

At the end of the day a border collie named Dex stood head and shoulders above the rest to be crowned fastest dog in Mission with a final time of 3.25 seconds. Dex’s owner Wendy Woodson describes him as a “nutty dog that likes to go fast.” It was the second year Dex won the crown.

Good Old Days also featured a barbecue and fireworks on Friday night, a 3-on-3 three basketball tournament on Saturday. On Sunday, the airport hosted a Good Old Days fly-in breakfast, with helicopter rides by Homestead Helicopters.

The Gold Old Days Gospel Sing finished off the celebration with a pot luck lunch.