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ood Old Croaker Time was the theme for the 33rd Annual Croaker Festival Parade which had more than 60 entries: lots of flags, a long dragon (floatable), more than a dozen kazoos, a Croaker Queen, a string of fish, one mermaid, scooters, Shriners, a fleet of firetrucks, and what might be described as an ice cream float float…..

Owen and Emery Haluska dance while their brother Oliver works the soda fountain on their prize-winning float, “Croakers Creams and Candies”. Playing to the “Good Ol’ Croaker Time” theme, it won the judges’ Gran-Poobah Award for best in show.

Harkening back to a time even before Croakerfest’s 1980 start, was the float showing a 1950’s ice cream parlour — Croaker’s Creams and Candies, with fishy-infused treats on the posted menu. On board were the three children of Jason and Heather Haluska of Memphis (and grandchildren of Ed and Deborah Bryant of Oriental.)

More photos from the parade:

Roll slowly and carry a big kazoo. In the absence of the Marine Corps Band – which used to lead the way in the Croakerfest parade – a group of Oriental residents banded together and kazooed behind the color guard, playing the Marine and Navy anthems. (Had there been such a category, they’d have won the “Entry Most Attractive To An Emerging Cicada”)

Shelley Simeon, who the night before was crowned the 2013 Croaker Queen. She was sponsored by The Bean, where she is a barrista.

Most dragons kept a low profile in this year’s Croakerfest parade. One exception was the Oriental Dragon Boat Club’s dragon bow piece — and the boat.

Lots of sunshine for the Croakerfest parade. You may thank Meteorologist Skip Waters.

Pull up a seat — many more photos ahead…

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Ryan Rapel, in town visiting his grandparents, sported a spangled bow tie on the River Dunes float.

Horses and riders from J&J Stables round the corner at Broad and Hodges.

Leading a horse to water.. and the harbor just a few blocks down on Hodges Street.

Flags festooned many places, including the front of an antique Ford.

First Runner-up in the Croaker Queen pageant was Madison Propst.

The color guard lead off the parade. In other years, they’ve had a brass band from the Marine Corps behind them. This year, it was kazoos….

Andra Davis of the DAV as the color guard turns the corner of Hodges and Broad.

Just ahead, KaZooligans provide the patriotic music….

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How it’s done. Rick Smith and Greg Piner in the first line of kazoos on the Kazooligans Semi-Marching Band float.

Bob Webster, one of the marching Kazooligans.

The Semi-Marching Mostly Seated Kazooligans heading down Broad near Church.

Kazooligan Larry Jones brought a tricked out kazoo — with resonator — to the parade.

One last kazoo heard from on the float. Darrell Wiard buzzes a tune. Forward on the float, facing aft, was Kazoo leader, Bob Miller.

And from the sidelines, still more kazoos, here played by Rachel Buckle of Frisco, Texas and Audrey Herlands of Chesapeake, Virginia.

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From left, Owen, Oliver and Emery Haluska, just before the parade started. (Their mother Heather makes last minute preps.) This is the fourth year their floats have won a prize.. and the second year they’ve taken the grand prize.

Oliver Haluska behind the soda counter of the Croaker Cremes & Candies float (Parade goers may remember his barefoot walk down Broad and Hodges last year as Opie Taylor, in a tribute to the Andy Griffith show.) Once again, he and his siblings won the top prize for best entry in the parade.

Ice Cream Float Float…The Haluska family of Memphis played out a scene from a 1950’s ice cream shop. The menu included Oriental Egg Creams – kelp was a flavor – as well as Sea Foam Slurries and among the candies, Red Drum Kisses.

The Ladies of the Neuse judges picked the winners in the parade. Here’s the list.

Jaden Wong of Oriental, who was the first runner-up in the Friday evening Miss Minnow pageant, rolls down Hodges Street in a convertible.

More vehicles ahead…

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The Moose Lodge entry, a vintage Cadillac. Buddy Bell, at left, was festooning it on Ragan Road before the parade started.

Leading the parade was Oriental’s police contingent and fleet — on bicycle, Captain Dwaine Moore and in the vehicles, part time officers Jason Collett and the newest addition to the force, Ben Barnett.

A London cab passes by the Duck Pond and harbor. Few were hailing it; many of the spectators were looking more for candies tossed to the ground. (Photo: Christopher McDermott)

The cab John Coble drove did have one passenger, Zack Bruno.

One of the troupe of Shriner Cooligans whizzing by on Broad near Hodges.

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Flora Moorman, chief organizer of the Oriental Dragon Boat Festival. (Photo: Christopher McDermott)

Dragon (boat) sighting. Jane Tigar bangs the dragon drum, a reminder of the Oriental Dragon Boat Festival in Oriental on the weekend of August 9-10.

Nol Engel. Usually, he’s the drummer aboard one of the dragon boats but in Saturday’s parade he was a standard bearer, carrying a banner about the August 9-10 Dragon Boat Festival.

Ani Ostendorff of Salt Lake City was in town visiting her parents, Lou and Marcia and combined the pirate and mermaid look. She was part of the Oriental History Museum float.

Colbey Jae Lee who the night before was crowned Miss Minnow.

Pamlico Community College and its “Fishing for Knowledge” float.

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The Croaker Band, from the Pamlico Community Band.

As the band passed by.

The Croaker Band leaves a message behind…

No simulated fish here. The Oriental Free Will Baptist Church float featured, Ron Guthrie said, real croakers that a friend had caught the night before.

A Miss Minnow contestant contemplates the candy she’s about to toss to the crowd.

.. and then executes the throw.

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Lisa Thompson in the driver’s seat with the Sea Harbour Yacht Club float as it passed the Oriental harbor.(Photo: Christopher McDermott)

Sponge Bob Square Pants makes his yearly return to the Oriental parade route, handing out ice pops, some of which he might have wanted himself. (Does Sponge Bob have an elf hat? Spirit of Christmas parade might be less thermally exhausting…))

Lest there be any doubt… Sponge Bob really is made of sponge. The heat index had not been independently calculated, but Sponge Bob estimated it to be “about 120 degrees” in there….

The community of Paradise Shores turned out in brightly logo-ed t-shirts.

Finding shade and flying the flag. Gay Jordan took in the parade on Hodges Street.

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Leslie and Jim Kellenberger atop their John Deere.. and pulling …

…the Neuse Riverkeeper float.

Sylvia “Miss Sil” Norman of Brantley’s Village Restaurant took a brief break from the kitchen to be in the parade.

A few cyclists late in the parade showed off their royal wave abilities.

The ever-present Lions Club lion ….

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Johnny Reiswig — and through the window of his antique Ford pickup — some of the spectators at Broad and Hodges.

Two young sisters visiting from Hong Kong rode the parade route in the back of the antique Ford truck.

The crew from First Citizens Bank, just before the parade started.

Making the croakers nervous — some of the Carolina Sharks youth baseball team.

NC House Representative Michael Speciale handed out flags along the parade route.(Photo: Christopher McDermott)

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Captain Ross Pease on the World Wide Marine Training inflatible – which co-incidentally Santa rides on during the Spirit of Christmas parade…..

Speaking of Christmas… the area Marines are getting an early start on their Toys For Tots campaign. The float in the Croakerfest parade was accepting toys.

Ed Denton of Denton’s Pharmacy

Kathryn Reardon sports a puffer fish (okay, really a hedgehog) croaker hat. She was one of the trio of Ladies of the Neuse judges for the parade.

Fay Bond — and her late husband, John’s dog, Goldie.

The croaker fish hat Fay Bond wore carried a watermelon motif. For year, one Sunday in August her yard has been the site of a watermelon social.

Shannon Hotchkiss and the boot which spectators contributed money to benefit the volunteer fire departments.

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A tanker labelled, “The Creek” from the Reelsboro Volunteer Fire Department passes the Oriental harbor. (Photo Christopher McDermott)

A scene repeated along the parade route… spectators donating money to the county’s volunteer fire departments.(Photo: Christopher McDermott)

The Triangle Volunteer Fire District’s truck.

Melanie Fluharty, on the Florence-Whortonsville Volunteer Fire Department truck.

On the Reelsboro Fire Department’s truck “The Creek” a passenger looks back at the spectators.

Turnabout being fair play.. Jan Dique on the Southeastern Pamlico Volunteer Fire District’s truck was taking photos of the spectators.

One response to the wailing sirens at the end of the parade…

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Watching the Croakerfest Parade can pay off in candy….

This year’s trophies given by the Ladies of the Neuse judges to various parade winners.

Til next year….

Posted Tuesday July 9, 2013 by Keith N. Smith