No More Processions

[poliphilo]

The Oldham Carnival used to feature a procession of floats and marching bands which wound through the town centre and passed by the end of our street (where I would sometimes stand to wave and cheer) on its way to Alexandra Park. It isn't happening this year and apparently didn't happen last year either. (Shame on me for not noticing!)  In its place there will be a mini-parade of dance troupes inside the Park- which doesn't sound nearly as much fun.  According to the carnival website the reasons for this change are (a) flatbed trucks (to put floats on) are becoming hard to get hold of and (b) they're nasty polluting things anyway. 

The town's November 5th Bonfire and Firework Display was discontinued several years ago.  Now the Carnival Procession has gone too. These big, old-fashioned expressions of civic pride and togetherness did us good, I think. I wonder what we're going to replace them with.  

Comments

[lblanchard.livejournal.com]

And we have one here, too, albeit a little less edgy. Perhaps you saw it while you were holding the fort in Kingsessing:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mummers_Parade

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Fabulous. I love it that Philadelphia is still in touch with its 16th century roots.

[lblanchard.livejournal.com]

17th century roots in terms of Europeans settling along the west bank of the Delaware, but I get your drift.