Masqueraders

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Masqueraders

Masqueraders at the head of the parade [-]

It was the 1963 parade season and it was very rainy. We were assembling for the Okeonas parade at St. Claud and Poland Ave. when the down poor started. We all ran for the gym of the school close by. It rained for close to an hour but Okeanos was still going to roll.

We asked each other if we wanted to get wet and parade. The vote was unanimous to march. When our position in the parade came up, we stepped out. Luckily the rain tapered off to a light mist. It would rain and stop, rain and stop, But we had fun playing September in the Rain. We had no music to this song, we just started playing it.

Two other bands jumped in the parade by the Reviewing Stands about five blocks before the end, in hopes of getting paid, but were busted and weren’t asked to march again. As a result of the corps. being the only musical group to finish the parade we were placed in the front of the next years parade just behind the Captains car. We were placed there each year there after till the corps, disbanded. I know this because my wife was a flag bearer in the Masqueraders and she remembers marching in front for the years she was with them. Were we crazy ? Maybe, maybe not, But it was fun.

Submitted by Elroy Ingersoll

Aug.29,1966 [-]

Masqueraders Gloomy As Sponsors Withdraw
Drum and Bugle Contest to Start (08-21-67)
I was there at City Park when half the corps walked out. I was a new member and didn;t know what all the Hub bub was about so I decieded to stay.

by Harold Clements