Raindrops and moonlight
A Frontier Middle School student shows off school spirit as she marches in the Grand Moonlight Parade down Third Avenue on Saturday.
Charles H. Featherstone
A girl holding a tiny flag stands on the side of Third Avenue waiting for the start of the Grand Moonlight Parade on Saturday.
A girl enjoys the Grant Moonlight Parade — and picked up a lot of candy — along Third Avenue on Saturday.
Moxee Hop Festival Royalty atop the festival’s float in the Grand Moonlight Parade on Saturday. Moxee will hold its annual hop festival this year on Aug. 3-5. For more information, check out the festival’s website at www.evcea.org.
Members of the Sons of Norway wave from their viking longboat float in the Grand Moonlight Parade on Saturday.
The Deer Park Community Float in Saturday’s Grand Moonlight Parade.
Distinguished Young Women of Moses Lake Addy Carlile (center) with First Runner Up Sydney Garza (left) and Second Runner Up Tori Moser (right) ride down Third Avenue during the Grand Moonlight Parade on Saturday.
A driver shows off the hydraulics of his custom low rider as his horn plays “La Cucaracha” during the Grand Moonlight Parade on Saturday.
A tiny truck with Just Right Cleaning and Construction makes its way down Third Avenue during the Grant Moonlight Parade on Saturday.
Drummers from Frontier Middle School keep the rhythm for the school’s marching band during the Grand Moonlight Parade on Saturday.
A trio of Moses Lake Police officers patrol down Third Avenue prior to the Grand Moonlight Parade on Saturday.
Students, staff, faculty and parents from North Elementary School parade in the rain down Third Avenue to Frontier Middle School during the Kiddie Parade on Saturday, part of the city’s annual Spring Festival Celebration.
Members of the Moses Lake High School marching band parade down Third Avenue during the annual Grand Moonlight Parade on Saturday night.
MOSES LAKE — For a bit, it didn’t look like there would be a Moonlight Parade down Third Avenue on Saturday night.
“There’s going to be a parade,” said Spring Festival organizer Sean Salis as he sat in the cab of his truck between phone calls and text messages.
Salis drove off, rain still falling. A downpour drenched the 6 p.m. Kiddie Parade, and students, staff and teachers from North Elementary School braved the wet and made their way down Third to Frontier Middle School as soggy spectators applauded.
“It was busy this morning,” said Eileen Pacheco of Porky’s Hot Dogs as the students walked past. “Hopefully, the rain doesn’t ruin anything.”
Porky’s set up a pair of tents on Carl T. Ahler’s Park right across from Frontier, though as the rain fell, they started packing up. By the time they were gone, however, rain had stopped and the sun was out.
“It brings the family close together,” said Brandi Moncoda as she stood with family members huddled underneath a big tent next to Porky’s. “We have friends out at Genie and ChemiCon, and they said it was coming. They gave us a five-minute warning.”
Despite the downpour, the Moonlight Parade went off without a hitch. Marching bands from Othello, Wahluke and Moses Lake High School played, low riders showed off their hydraulics to horns blaring “La Cucaracha” and floats from as far away as Connell, Moxee and Deer Park all made their way down Third Avenue as part of the city’s annual SpringFest Celebration this weekend.
Charles H. Featherstone can be reached at cfeatherstone@columbiabasinherald.com
