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Croakerfest 2014 Parade
Pirates, Pageant Queens, PoliticiansJuly 8, 2014
It’s a safe bet that the words “arrrgh” and “wench” appeared more often on Saturday than in other Croakerfest parade. The theme of the 34th Annual Croakerfest parade was pirates and many of the more than 100 entries rose to that challenge.One of the more spirited pirate floats, was the First Citizens Bank. Manager Sally Belangia let off the confetti gun at the Town Dock.The weather cooperated and the sun shined, (though not too hot) on all, whether they were wanna-be pirates, pageant contestants or contestants from another realm, the political candidates seeking office this fall. They got some face time with voters during this parade.
Grand Marshal for the parade was Candy Bohmert who spent the last decade organizing Croakerfest.More of the parade ahead ….
Irma Maxbauer’s float took the Grand Poobah award from the Ladies of the Neuse judges.Croaker Queen 2014. Lauren Holton, sponsored by Hwy 55 Pawn and Gun.Truitt and Cindy Ray get the unofficial TownDock.net vote for most inventive play on “argggh” in the pirate-themed parade.Oriental’s new Town Manager, Diane Miller, played along with the pirate theme. As for the sign, Miller has not been heard referring to herself as such; she says her staff designed it.[page]
The lineup of pagaent participants.Croaker queen runner-up, 15-year old Adriana Martinez-Garcia, sponsored by Bobby Cahoon Construction.Haley Voliva was the 2nd runner up and was sponsored by Fulcher’s Red Fox Stables.A smile from Miss Congeniality, Kelsey Guimball..Mikayla Minally Miss Photogenic.The Pamlico Community Band’s Croaker Band, on Broad Street.[page]
After winning the younger girls’ pagaent the evening before, Miss Minnow Taylor McHenry tosses candy.From the Miss Minnow contest, Kyla Belangia.First Runner up in the Miss Minnow contest, 6 year old Allie Daniels on the Saturday morning parade ride down Hodges Street.Haley Rice, judged Most Photogenic in the Miss Minnow competition.More winners. The winning parade entries, as decided by Ladies of the Neuse judges, were posted outside the Croaker Booth at South Avenue and Freemason Street. The results of some other contests won’t be known til November. Five of the contestants showed up for the parade… just ahead..[page]
Norm Sanderson, state Senator in District 2 on Hodges Street.Carr Ipock of New Bern, the Democratic state Senate candidate who is challenging the freshman senator, Norm Sanderson for his seat in November.Michael Speciale, the 3rd District State Representative.Whit Whitley works the sidelines along the parade route. He’s the Democratic candidate for the state House seat in NC’s 3rd district. The seat is currently held by first term Representative, Republican Michael Speciale.Chris Davis, Republican candidate for Pamlico County Sheriff.Pamlico’s GOP float put an eyepatch on their elephant.The donkey on the Pamlico Democratic Women float opted not to wear a patch.[page]
The Cape Dory Owners Association trailered one of its own along the parade route.The official parade lineup sheet read, “big cart” for this NC Department of Agriculture entry. It may be the tallest entry in a Croaker parade since the Deaton Yachts dragon.At the other end of the spectrum ….mini cars at the Mini Mart. The Shriners Mini Car brigade awaits the start of the parade.Perhaps the best use of recycled material in the parade, the team from Hoof and Boots, a hoof care business.What’s a parade without a tractor? Jim Kellenberger used his John Deere to haul the ….. two yellow kayaks on the Neuse Riverkeeper Foundation float. Oriental area Creekeeper Bill Hines bikes alongside.Offsetting the pirate theme, the sailor suit collars of the young women from Camp Seafarer. (No tar detected in those pigtails.) The Camp, a perennial participant in the parade, joined this year with Arapahoe-based Operation Veggie Box, which is growing produce for food banks. The crew was prepping the float moments before the parade startedA jeep, armed, was part of the parade.[page]
Have cooler, will travel. One of the Shriners’ Cooligans.Sponge Bob Square Pants makes his yearly Croakerfest appearance, this time on a motorcycle.Paul Fairbank, capo de parade just before it started. Behind him is Grand Marshal, and former Croakerfest organizer, Candy Bohmert who was enjoying her first worry-free Croakerfest in a decade.Lena Rice with Pamlico Rescue.Not your father’s Oldsmobile. Levi Reiswig in his father’s Ford.Kip Nicholas and Rolayne Schwendy on the truck carrying some of the Oriental Farmers’ Market vendors.The Cape Dory Miss Linda on the last leg of her regatta thru the parade, near the harbor in Oriental.[page]
Part of the crew on the Windmill Point float.Musician Simon Spaulding came by boat in the River Dunes float.Vivace.One float that came down Hodges provided a sample of what Oriental’s harbor might look like with the Statue of Liberty.Friendly waves from one golf cart and a pirate’s grimace of warning.Even the Chinese dragon wore an eyepatch — and pirate’s hat. Eric Dammeyer was part of the dragon team’s float.Oriental Free Will Baptist Church combined the “Aaarrgh” pirate theme with spiritual treasure.[page]
A parasol instead of a sword for the pirate Town Manager, Diane Miller.Truitt and Cindy Ray in their Studebakarrrgh in the pirate themed parade.Marsha Ostendorf had run out of candy by the time the Oriental’s History Museum truck reached the Bean, late in the route.Irma Maxbauer on the Groaker float which took the top honors in the parade.Dragons go together with piratesSidelined. Oliver and Emery Haluska run to the street for candy tossed from a float near The Bean. They and their brother have taken the top prize in the Croaker parades last year, and the year before that. (an appearance that gained Oliver the nickname, “Opie”.) Their dad says they wanted a chance to see the parade. But may be back with an entry next year.[page]
Pirate Kaitlin the First Citizens Bank float.The Hoof-and-Boots team heads to the final part of the trail…The Pamlico Heritage Center with its tractor.Oriental Free Will Baptist Church float.The Windmill Point float.A pirate-no-more follows the Statue of Liberty in the parade.Some dream of being pirates, others of becoming firemen. Oriental’s volunteer fire department used the parade and the side of a truck to make the pitch for more volunteers.[page]
Some of the Camp Seafarer crew opted for sunglasses rather than eye patches.A partial crew of the Oriental Dragon Boat Club on the 22 seat dragon boat. More dragon boats are expected in Oriental in a month for the annual Dragon Boat FestivalLarry Summers was right behind the dragon boat with his vintage bicycle rickshaw. He was thankful for the diminutive size of his passengers.Local Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts were part of the parade.Fay Bond, who turned 90 last year, with her dog, Goldiie who used to ride in the parade with John Bond, Fay’s late husband.Christine Saxton and some of the vendors from the Oriental Farmers’ Market. (More vendors could be found at tne market, along the parade route, Saturday morning.).Cleve Cox, president of Pamlico Community College.[page]
The Croaker Band, row by row.
Row 1.Row 2.Row 3.Row 4.Row 5.[page]
By 7:30 Saturday morning, some early staking out of seats for the parade.Rusty Huffines on the motorcycle that Sponge Bob Squarepants would ride on the route. He reported that Sponge Bob’s days of walking the parade were over. As for the fire extinguisher, Huffines said it would be deployed if anyone sprayed water on Sponge Bob.Lou Ostendorf with Oriental’s History Museum preps the float which featured a wooden chest the museum is raffling off. (Winning ticket to be pulled at the Museum’s October 11 Street Dance.)The team from a hoof care business waiting for the parade start.The dog has since been sent inland for psychological trauma counseling. The animal may have confused parade master, Paul Fairbank with a judge to whom if would have to kiss up. The canine was in the car Buddy Floyd drove for honorary parade marshal Candy Bohmert.