I Love The Big-Rig Parade!!!

I'm not one for parades..... unless it's The Big-Rig Parade!!! I seriously LOVE The Big-Rig Parade, also known by it's actual title The Parade of Lights.

The Big-Rig Parade, which was held this past Saturday evening, has been happening  for close to twenty years now, actually... I think this might have been the eighteenth year and how it's GROWN! Enz and I went with my mom and sister the first year and because I loved it SO MUCH (I have a slight fascination with transport trucks and a crazy dream of one day driving one) I demanded it become our newest tradition. Unfortunately, my mom and sister weren't quite as thoroughly enthralled as I was and continued to attend with us only intermittently through the years. Enz and I missed last years excitement thanks to my annoying physical challenges but this year I was determined to get back out to see the big-rigs!

I was pretty excited to be getting out to see the parade but I was a little nervous, too because usually if I go out anywhere now, it's during the daytime. I'm getting really confident with using my walking sticks but I haven't done much practicing when it's dark outside because it's harder to judge the ground with the shadows enhancing the uneven terrain. But for the Big-Rig Parade... I was willing to risk an embarrassing tumble! So, we bundled up our boys and we headed into town.

The boys were conking out for the ride before we even left the garage...

We felt we were heading in to town late and the parade route being lined with cars wasn't very settling as we kept our eyes peeled for a spot we might come to chance. I had said I was okay if we even just tried to find a space but that I wouldn't be upset if we missed it but boy did my heart lift when we spied two open spots in a little strip-of-businesses parking lot! It really was quite a sight even just searching for a spot, to see every parking lot on either side of the road lined along the roadway, all headlights facing the parade route as people kept warm until start time... it kind of felt like we were IN a parade and being watched just trying to park somewhere! We really lucked out with our spot, especially since so many people leave their cars parked hours ahead for the best spots. We also had arrived with about forty-five minutes before parade start which gave the boys plenty of time to watch and listen to the bustling of excited kiddoes in wait as they ran back and forth from cars to sidewalks to check for first signs. It was really mild out but still too chilly for the boys to stand outside with us because they get cold really quickly without keeping on the move but they were happy to watch from their cozy car nest when Enz and I made our way to the roadside to watch the WAY TOO COOL AWESOMENESS!! Don't worry, we were directly in front of our vehicle and only away by about twenty feet, we kept checking on them and they were toasty and happy and they had a really good view, too... just a slightly warmer one than we had.

My one disappointment of Big-Rig night was that in all my hooplah of getting the boys dressed, getting myself dressed and organized with my walking sticks and getting confident with my bulky boots and mitts and jacket (which without sticks is a WHOLE lot easier)... I had forgotten my camera on the laundry room counter by the door..... Fortunately, Enz's best friend Enzo, who had taken his niece to watch the parade, had remembered his camera and was so kind to say "Sure!" when I asked if he would take a picture or two of actual transport trucks in the parade so I could share a snap or two of our parade right here with you. Thank goodness for friends willing to share! And just in case you're wondering if I accidentally typed Enz followed by Enzo... I didn't; Enz and Enzo have been best friends practically since birth and over fifty years later that friendship is still running strong! It actually gets confusing with all the Enzo's at times because my Enzo and his uncle of the same approximate age, as well as about six of his cousins (and these are ALL first-cousins), all here in town, are all named Vincenzo, with most going by Enzo and only one who goes by Vince or Vinny. Anyhow... enough about the Enzo's and back to the Big-Rigs woohooooo!!!!!

And the Big-Rigs were OUTSTANDING!!!

Photo credit to Enzo Pasqualino

Photo credit to Enzo Pasqualino
Thanks for sharing your beautiful photos with the scatterbrain who forgot her camera!

I mentioned before that the Big-Rig Parade (I'm saying it a LOT because I just really love saying Big-Rig Parade!) had grown and it really has. The first year parades were short in comparison to the now usually eighty(plus) vehicle floats. I call them vehicle floats because the parade has expanded over the years to include vehicles other than just the super cool Big-Rigs, dump trucks and heavy machinery; now there are buses, pick-ups, tiny cars and this year the Jeep club was there with an awful lot of jeeps and although I appreciate the work that the drivers put into decorating their rides I will wholeheartedly admit that I am on high alert on waiting for the few true Big-Rigs, dump trucks and heavy machinery still holding it all together for my tradition-loving heart! Even though there are now so many different types of vehicles in the Big-Rig Parade, the parade wouldn't happen at all without the support of our tightknit Thunder Bay Trucking Community and I, along with so many others, are thankful for their willingness to not only decorate but also in sharing their beautiful rides with those of us who wait all year long to watch in awe as their rigs light up the chilly evening sky!

And maybe one of the best things about living in a small city is the fact that The Big-Rig Parade doesn't necessarily have to be over when it ends... We hardly ever have traffic hold-ups in town but because the parade brings out SO many people our roads home were unusually full for a couple of blocks as everyone headed on their way. And how fortunate were we to be following right behind two of the beautiful big-rigs??!!!

Following beautiful! It was a magical drive home!
Enz explained how to use his cell camera so I could snap this lil' memory gem. 

Below is a link to the Parade of Lights website  which shares a little of how the proceeds of the parade are divided between various beautiful charities to help people with special needs in our community...

http://www.paradeoflights.ca/

Do you have a special community outing that never fails to help you find your Holiday spirit? Share with us in the comments section below!