Parade in the Park
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Day 4: June 7, 2015 Parade in the Park Comment via blog |
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I booked my room via telephone and, after the owner verified that a room
was available, he asked if I was sure I wanted to stay on those dates.
That was the weekend of Jersey Pride, he said. It took me a few seconds but I
eventually figured out he was talking about a gay, as in "gay
pride", event. I generally side -- in a non-militant sort of way --
with the LGBT community. Their gathering sure wasn't going to keep me away
from Willie Nile and the Stone Pony. In fact, after I learned a little
about it, I started looking forward to it, especially the parade.
The motel owner had thought the parade was on Saturday but everything, including the parade, was Sunday. I checked out of my room, verified that I could leave my car in the motel lot for a few hours, then headed toward the boardwalk. The festival would take place in two open blocks by the old convention center. Cutting diagonally through one of these had become part of my normal path toward the shore area. This would soon require purchase of a wristband to enter but I passed through one last time as preparations progressed. |
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The closest thing to breakfast I'd seen in the immediate area was a shop
in the convention center that advertised "breakfast sandwiches".
I took my time consuming a bacon & egg sandwich but still had lots of
time to kill before the parade. This is the result. A really big cup in a
watery play area on the boardwalk slowly fills with water then dumps it in
one big splash. I'd seen it a few times in passing on Saturday (it wasn't
operating Friday) but hung around long enough today to get a picture of
the dump. Watching surf crash against rock is always a good way to pass
time. Some gulls spent a little time at the rock I was watching after
being flushed by a jogger. Later, as I continued strolling along the
boardwalk, I heard an unusual call from overhead and looked you to see
what I took to be four swans in flight. I got the straggler.
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Parade time, high noon, approached. Its start point was somewhere uptown
and its end point at the fenced in and canopy filled area by the
convention center. I headed a few blocks away to where the last turn would
be made. I reached there some minutes before noon. The parade leading
balloon rainbow arrived about 12:20. The bikers were close behind on
rumbling Harleys and some quieter two-wheelers, too.
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Next was the first of many beauty queens and the first of a couple
marching bands. This was the Big Apple Corp from New York City.
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Then came a bit of the circus (with a marching band from Philadelphia
right behind) and a bit of politics. The cast from a local live production
of Rocky Horror was almost completely past before I realized it and I got
only this shot of Frank N Furter.
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The parade ended just a block from my motel. Floats and other units that
didn't enter the actual festival area were disbanding and otherwise using
the local streets so I ducked into a local watering hole to allow things
to clear a little. When I did head out of town, I passed some fairly far
flung indicators of what was currently happening in Asbury Park and the
town's welcoming attitude.
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The 1954 Circus
Drive-In, about a half dozen miles down the road, seemed to perfect
spot for lunch/dinner. A real carhop took and delivered my order without
any electronics involved at all. Non-meal photos were take as I walked
around after eating. It looks like eating inside would be fun, too.
There's a better picture of the big clown
here.
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In nearby Belmar, an eight foot version of Bruce Springsteen's Fender
Esquire stands at the corner of 10th Avenue and E Street. Yes, THAT E
Street. Maybe, THAT 10th Avenue.
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