Best of the 2017 Ski-Hi Stampede Parades, Part 3: March of the Shriners

Are they immortal? For all I know, I’ve been seeing these same middle-age to late-middle-age men every parade, everywhere I’ve been since I was a young boy gawping at the beautifully detailed tiny cars they drove in tight circles down the street.

“North America, IN THE HOUSE!”

Here in 2017, they seem more anachronistic than ever. You wonder how they maintain membership. They don’t actively recruit. Yet they remain a highlight of whatever parade in whatever town you’re in. As they were in the beginning, carrying on clear into the 21st century.

It’s a very good thing, and not just for our parades. The Shriners support a number of hospitals and charities, notably children’s burn hospitals with the Shriners’ own name on them. If you don’t hear much about them, if you’ve never thought of them at all until now—well, why do you think? They don’t do anything to get themselves into the news. 

I’m 55 years old and I still want one of these for Christmas. I know, I know.

Try hitting the right notes while being jostled down the street in a trailer. Now try hitting the right notes on the official songs of the individual US armed forces. These gentlemen made it look and sound easy. Don’t try this at home, kids.

I don’t know how they do it but I’m glad they’re doing it. It’s reassuring to know they’re still around, and in enough force to make a showing in parades. As my five-year-old self would have told you half a century ago, these guys have the best toys.