A few weeks ago, I read in the local newspaper that June 1 was the kick-off date to the summer carnival season. Summer carnival season??? I had no clue, so I asked my neighbor and she kindly explained that carnivals are a big deal in these parts. Every little town hosts a carnival as a fundraiser for their fire department. Last week it was the Emmitsburg Carnival. Before that Middletown. This week was Thurmont's turn.
The carnival started on Monday night and wraps up Saturday night. On Thursday night, they had a parade to ... um, huh, um... to lead everyone to the carnival/fairgrounds/rodeo grounds. Sure, that's it. Being a sucker for any and all small-town, old-fashioned fun, I packed the camping chairs and whined to Benny "we have to go." Benny says I had him at fire trucks.
This parade did not disappoint. It was your typical small town parade, including a pickup truck with the football players sitting in the truck bed waving the crowd, high school marching band of 12 students, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, old cars, old tractors, new tractors, dump trucks, fire trucks (in fact, I think every fire truck in the county was there, there were at least twenty fire trucks there. I said a prayer there wasn't a fire anywhere), RVs, and a senior group of swing dancers, a senior (citizen, not high seniors) marching band and baton twirlers of all ages and sizes. No joke. Which brings me to a theory of mine about the way to learn about your town is to attend a parade ... but back to the carnival.
 |
| Olivia spots a "bear." |
 |
| O sharing her candy with strangers sitting near us. |
After the parade, we walked to the carnival. Olivia's eyes got huge when she saw the rides. First, food, then rides, I told her. Olivia gobbled down her slice of pizza (I didn't have the patience to wait in line for a crab cake) in record pace, grabbed my hand and pointed to the Ferris wheel. Time for rides.
 |
| So boring, she says. |
 |
| The ride that she loved. |
