Event: McDade Watermelon Festival Parade
Date: July 8, 2006
Location: McDade, Tx
Description: AAR by Jeff L:

A hot and Humid day

Maddison arrived first with his M37 on his new trailer, I arrived just in time to help him off load it. We arrived in the parade line up and started decking out the vehicles with the Americas and Texas flags. Claude arrived shortly afterwords to spend the time with us. We rendered some assistance for some of the other participants when they expercienced some issues with one of their floats. Tools and some muscle were loaned to them to get them squared away before the judges arrived. We evidently did some good as we were awarded 2nd place for the vehicle category.

A lot of different participants this year, the Lonestar Corvair Club of Austin was present as were many of the floats of the surounding towns.

After all the judging was done, the parade started its slow crawl up the road. Claude rode with Jeff L in the M35A2 while Madison took the lead. We had a very nice introduction of what the Lonestar MVPA was all about along with the announcements of winning 2nd place in the vehicle competition. Afterwords we headed up to Claude's place to cool down and relax after a hard morning's work

 

AAR by Madison H:

This is the 58th year for the annual McDade Watermelon Festival . 
Jeff L drove his new to him, sharp looking M35A2 Duce to the event.  Madison H trailer his M37 to McDade. Down loaded it on the shoulder of Independence St.
Both vehicles were told to assemble at the Faith Lutheran Church facing 302 Waco street and there would be a marker #31, our assigned parade number. We easily found our marker and was soon joined by Claude V who later rode with Jeff L in his Duce. As with all parades were in the old get in line and wait mode...Several former military guys came over and we shared war stories. One young man was a duce mechanic we gave the club card and told him about the club web site...
 The M37 took the point with Jeff's duce bring up the rear. We only had the two club vehicles in the parade. There were a variety of vehicles there, mostly antiques including T-Birds,  Model A and Model T's, In fact I was behind a 1923 Model A or T not sure.
At about 10:30 am, the parade started and wondered down Waco street. We were not aware of it but the judging had taken place around 9:00 am  The route was no more than a 3/4 mile or so. At the first turn, downtown main street a judge approached my truck and gave us 2nd place.  I guess we were in a military class. I think the local veterans in an old pick-up truck won first place. Very warm welcome from the crowd. Many got out of there lawn chairs as we passed. The Announcer read the Lone Star MVPA club statement as we passed with out any mistakes...  
After the parade Jeff and Claude helped me load my M37 on the trailer. Jeff and I then followed Claude to his home. The trip to his home was a convoy in its self. Claude lives way back in the woods.  Jeff and I got the grand tour of all of claude's vehicles....Jeff and I then made our ways home.
 



 

Jeff's M35

Madison's M37

Madison & Claude

The Austin Corvair Club

Cool old fire truck

notice the chain drive

Model T

nice old John Deere

Beauty Queens

Another trophy for the case
   

the parade route from the M35 cab

    

To assist in reducing download time, Thumbnail pictures are below - simply click on the picture to see an enlarged version.  To return to this page, use your Browsers BACK button.

 

http://www.lonestar-mvpa.org
Copyright 1997-2007   All Rights Reserved
Webmaster Comments