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Antique cars rolled down Main Street behind a lemonade stand floating façade, a 1952 red, white and blue ambulance, rollerblading artists and new variations on the word “Localvore.”
Best in Show went to the Prickly Mountain gang for the “Act like a local: feed the locals” float; Best Antique Car was awarded to Bourne’s Energy for “Fueling the Future,” and Valley Appliance Repair won Smallest Float.
Best Antique Farm Vehicle went to Fred Viens’ 1942 Red Speed Wagon; Best Bike Powered Float went to Stark Mountain Bike Works’ “Lemonade stand/college fund”; and Best Commercial Float was awarded to Sugarbush Resort for “Act like local produce.”
Mad River Glen’s “Act like a local: ski mogul” won Coolest Float, the Best One Person Float went to Quayl Rewinski as “Miss Mad River Valley Localwhore (working hard on realistic endeavors for the Mad River Valley”).
Best Promotional Float went to the Vermont Festival of the Arts for “Act like a local; expose yourself to the arts” and Best Decorated Float went to David Dion’s “Act like a local: wish for a home of your own.”
Harwood Union Jazz won Best Musical Float, the Warren After School Program won Best Kids’ Float for “Let’s go fishing” and the Best Non-Theme Float went to Warren Village Architects/Temple of Dindor—“celebrating independence of Egypt after 4,000 years of oppression.”
Best Political Participant went to Lieutenant Governor Phil Scott for “Act like a local: buy local—it’s not just for hippies anymore.” And perennial Vermont political rock star Independent U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders received a mile-long standing ovation from the crowd gathered in Warren on Independence Day.
Most Elegant Float went to Dennis Lee Sparling for “Leonardo da Vinci: revenge from a failed arts and humanities economy” and Bill Doyle won Most Enduring Politician. Best Family Float went to LaRock Property Maintenance for “Local, homegrown and family owned.”
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Deadliest Float and Oldest Float went to the 1865 town of Warren hearse (with a sign noting that only one-way trips were available) and Oma and Opa Goldstein won Best Newcomer with “Vermont is for lovers.” Africa Djolie won Best Dance Float, and Dr. Butsch, old Sicky and Friends’ “Loco Locals: Valley Life is good” won Funniest and Baddest Float with their collection of signs, costumes, revelry and irreverence.
The Best Float with a Nonprofit Message was won by the Friends of the Mad River with “Rock the river” and Quackiest Float went to the Mad River Valley Rotary Club. Barrie Fisher’s dog won Best Dressed Pet on a Float with Pawsitive Pantry and Wags for Bags. Best Post Parade Exposure went to Beverly Kehoe. Honorable mention for participation by a WWII vet went to Tom Roche riding on Warren Engine #1.
The Most Patriotic Float was awarded to Warren Engine #1 and Tom Roche, World War II Veteran of Five Campaigns in the European Theater. Roche participated in sonic deception operations; serving as a radioman/machine gunner, he took part in 23 operations deceiving German units through the use of inflatable tanks, field pieces and dummy aircraft. His actions saved many American and German lives by leading the German army to focus on the wrong fronts. The “Ghost Army” will soon be featured on the History Channel.
Following the parade, crowds gathered in front of The Warren Store to dance to the sounds of Jimmy Yozell and Friends, wandered up to Brooks Field for more merriment, cooled off in local swim holes (Warren’s Riverside Park was standing room only!) and spun off to well-attended parties from one end of The Valley to the other.
July 4 Compost Contest - How Hot Is It?
Richard Czaplinski and Kinny Perot held their third annual July 4 compost contest in Warren Village and the winners were Mac Rood and Robin McDermott!
This year there were two compost piles, one of which was an eight-day-old pile built using lawn grass clippings and a previously built compost pile that had cooled down. The other was a three- day-old pile that was built using lawn grass clippings, two-year-old sawdust and soil. Mac Rood guessed that the temperature of the eight-day-old pile was 120 F and the actual temperature was 117 F. Runner up was Richard Travers who guessed 113 F.
Robin McDermott guessed that the temperature of the three-day-old pile was 156 F. The actual temperature was 157 F. Runner up was Kate Sudhoff who guessed 155 F.
The guesses ranged from 451 to .0000001 Kelvin. Winners received their choice of (1) a tour of Czaplinski’s’ off-the-grid homestead, root cellar, greenhouse and gardens or (2) a one-hour introduction to mindfulness meditation.
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