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Parade in Dade City drums up fans for fair
By MICHELLE JONES, Times Staff Writer DADE CITY -- The Possum Trot 4-H Club won Best of Show in the Pasco County Fair parade Monday by borrowing a fair theme from Charlotte's Web: Wilbur the pig. The 89-unit parade wove through downtown Dade City to Cox Elementary School, where it ended just moments before the 3 p.m. opening of the 55th annual Pasco County Fair at the fairgrounds on State Road 52. Spectators, several deep, lined the street and took advantage of the Washington's Birthday holiday and the breezy but comfortable weather. Members of the Zephyrhills High School band received applause for their rendition of God Bless America as they passed the judges stand. Contestants for this weekend's Miss Pasco County, Little Miss Pasco County and Miss Heart of Florida pageants, as well as reigning queens and princesses, rode in convertibles or in new cars as they waved and threw beads or candy to spectators. The girls from Helen's Baton and Dance wore red and blue uniforms with medals touting their wins in previous contests. Vendors pushed grocery carts laden with balloons, cold drinks, toys and cotton candy. Children scurried back and forth chasing the candy and beads. Ralph Rafuse and Elizabeth Hayes, longtime friends from Dade City, brought a white plastic bench, which they parked next to the judges stand -- one of the best places to be -- as the marching units stopped and performed. Hayes brought her daughter, Ashley, and two friends: Michelle Keeling and Kim Ward. The West Pasco Chamber of Commerce float was a favorite. It was decorated with a totem pole, tepees and a log cabin. Riders were dressed like American Indians to bring attention to the upcoming Chasco Fiesta. The Pine View Middle School Panther cheerleaders put on an acrobatic demonstration that had spectators gasping and clapping. Hayes said she planned to take her children to the fair after the parade. "The ROTC drill team made me start crying, they were so good," Hayes said. "Just seeing the boys in military uniforms made me sentimental with everything that is going on (in the world)." Rafuse said the cotton candy vendors were his favorite part of the parade. "And, bringing my 4-year-old nephew Caleb," he said. The OutBack 4-H float had a replica of the New York firefighters and the flag they raised over the area where the Twin Towers once stood. Red, white and blue bunting decorated the float. Bringing up the rear was a unit from the All Creatures 4-H Club. Dressed in green and white and carrying large clovers, they wore the colors and symbol of 4-H. One of the members pulled a large dog that pulled a cart carrying another member of the club. Teamwork in action. "It was a great parade," Hayes said. Rafuse agreed. "Now we are going to the fair to eat corn dogs and cotton candy." -- Michelle Jones covers central Pasco community news. She can be reached at 1-800-333-7505, ext. 4612, or (813) 909-4612. Her e-mail address is jones@sptimes.com.
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