Parade

The Cornwells Heights parade in Bensalem Township got Memorial Day celebrations off to a rousing start. The parade featuring an Army Reserve unit was one of several held in Bucks County under clear skies with bright sun - and low humidity. Home-town crowds sometimes joined in, including youngsters with decorated bicycles and veterans of all ages representing the U. S. effort in several wars. Memorial Day also marked the beginning of several warm- weather activities, such as the opening of community swimming pools and picnicking in the park.

The 15th annual Cherry Blossom Parade, billed as a "proud, unified salute to the Township of Cherry Hill," will wend its way Sunday along an approximately two-mile course on Chapel Avenue, past spectators and cherry trees. The parade will begin at 12:30 p.m. About 50 entries will take part, including the Broomall, Palmyra, South Jersey, Avalon, South Philadelphia and Woodland string bands, several drill teams, the Cherry Hill High School East and West bands, and antique, classic and sports cars, said the parade's director, Joseph Zanghi.

A parade of fire trucks will scream down the streets of Modena to celebrate the borough's acquisition of a 1985 International fire truck. From 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, fire trucks from 25 townships and boroughs will weave through South Coatesville, East Fallowfield and Modena. The parade will start at the Lukens Ark Building on Modena Road and end in front of the Modena Fire Department on Brandywine Avenue. The tanker-pumper truck has a white cab top and a water capacity of 1,250 gallons.

Phillies assistant athletic trainer Mark Andersen shares his favorite memory from the team's 2008 World Series championship season. "It has to be the parade," he said. "I was on a float with my wife [Vickie] and daughter [Rachel, 16]. I remember going down Broad Street and looking down the side streets and being amazed at how the crowds of people stretched two or three blocks down. "I'll never forget it. " Andersen laughed. "My daughter picked out five or six of her friends in the crowd," he said.

WHAT an AWESOME day last Friday was. Our trip down was a breeze. We drove from Glenside to the Fern Rock subway station. Found parking on Camac. Walked right onto an express. We made our way to 16th and Market, two adults and nine kids. At 9:30, the crowd was already in a frenzy. The parade-starved crowd was cheering everyone from bike messengers to the UPS deliveryman. Philly's Finest decided we could put the kids over the barricades and let them sit on the curb. They were thrilled.

About 130 fire trucks from 60 fire companies will parade down Broad Street in Woodbury on Saturday as part of a centennial celebration of the Good Will Fire Co. No. 2. The 100th-anniversary celebration of the Woodbury-based fire company, which was founded on April 22, 1887, will start at noon with the parade through the city and culminate with a late-night party for firefighters at the fire hall at 642 N. Broad St. Good Will President Leonard...

Stosh Visack, 18, was walking toward Broad Street in his blue and gold wench's dress early yesterday when a woman called out to him at 9th Street and Snyder Avenue. "Yo, babe, it's canceled," she shouted. "No, babe, it ain't," Visack retorted. Then he headed for 2nd Street, where the Mummers clubhouses were crowded with disappointed marchers trying to keep up their spirits. The party went on yesterday, even if the parade didn't. While the postponement stranded both Mummers and parade-watchers in a state of emotional limbo, most opted to enjoy New Year's Day for what might have been.

The idea was born in the dead of summer, a lazy, sweltering afternoon on a parched street corner of the city. An African American men's parade was slowly winding its way down Cooper Avenue, its marchers sweating under colorful suits and oversized instruments, but smiling wide. "And I thought to myself, they look so happy," said the Rev. Leonardo Carrieri, 84, a retired associate pastor at Our Lady of Fatima Church. "I thought, we should have that in our community, too. " Such was the inspiration 41 years ago that led Father Carrieri and a group of parishioners to organize a small parade honoring the city's Puerto Rican residents - the first of its kind for the community.

Thousands of county residents will flock to parades in Kennett Square, Downingtown and Malvern, among others, during the next two weeks as Chester County honors those who have served our country with Memorial Day celebrations. The Kennett Square parade should bring 800 to 1,000 residents out to watch the procession on Memorial Day, which starts at 10 a.m. at the parking lot at the corner of Cypress Street and Mill Road. Kennett Square's parade will have about 80 local veterans, riding in antique war equipment and pre-1979 convertibles.

A parade through Delran Saturday will cap Spirit Week at Delran High School. Throughout this week, each grade at the high school will work on preparing a float. The floats will be judged at the Tenby Chase Swim Club on Saturday morning. About 10:45 a.m., the parade will begin to the high school on Hartford Road for a planned 11:45 a.m. presentation at the football field. Also during the week, there will be wall-painting, home-room door judging and a pep rally, it was announced at the Delaran School Board's meeting Monday night.