Piggish Parade Meeting- November '23

 WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE?

      They are my friends, a few of the zany 25 who came to last night's Flying Pig Parade meeting at the Cypress & Grove Brewery.  Another 12 sent their regrets.

They are an experienced corps of merry-makers (ages 41 to 91) who will show younger generations how to put on an original, festive parade next month. 

Many are veterans of Coconut Grove's King Mango Strut Parade which has created gales of laughter for 41 years.  

 

 THE LINE UP

Everything's going well. We have already recruited 2/3 of the groups we need.  We have dancers, bands, and a precision grave digger drill team. Peggy Bowie will wear a giant uterus.  Marching next to

her will be her friend with a sign,  "This women is searching for big, strong, men who will pass laws on how we use our uteruses...said no woman ever".

Shirley Lasseter will lead "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" and Julie Anspach will head up the punked-out, multi-colored "Weird Barbies" dance-athon.

 

This street party is coming together! Any group (or individual) wanting to be in it can fill out an

application on our website, www.flyingpigparade.org . Space is limited, sign up soon.

 

 

 THE UNVEILING

Last night's big moment came when our poster, created by Gainesville artist, Heidi Stein, was unveiled. 

There was a dramatic drum roll, the pillow case was lifted, and Heidi's creation was welcomed by great applause. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are placing them all over town. The posters will also be on sale, along with our parade t-shirts,  on the big day, Dec. 30th.

    

    It’s time downtown Gainesville got its own original, awesome parade. If it’s anything like its cousin, the King Mango Strut, thousands of people will be delighted by our festive, end-of-the-year celebration.

                                  ________

 

FINE DINING WITH THE PIG

 SUNDAY'S FLYING PIG PARADE BRUNCH

                            RAISING $ FOR DECEMBER"S PROCESSION

 

      Celebrity Chef, Mark Newman (former owner/chef at Gainesville's popular Leonardo's 706 Restaurant) hosted a grand affair at his residence last Sunday. It was a fund-raising brunch for December 30's Flying Pig Parade.  Nearly forty attended -including one pig with wings- and we raised $1500.

      Mark's house is unique, on a hill overlooking Hogtown Creek. 

The signs made it easy to find.  

 

 

 

 

 

Every room, bathroom, and closet was filled with art of all sorts.  We staged our silent action in his office.

 

      

 

 

     With the help of his two assistants, Francesca and Jackie,

 

 

 

Chef Mark created an incredible array of food for us to enjoy. 

Joe blows while Marty strums.

And if that wasn't enough, we had two fantastic musicians, Marty Liquori and Joe Donato entertaining us.

 

At one point I thanked everyone for coming

 

and presented Mark with a mask.

 

 

 

  With that he became a part of the party's mask maker's fashion show.

 

 

Great shot of the winged pig, King Mango, and Michael's left finger

 

 

Good shot of the mask maker and the left side of Michael's head

 

 

 

 

 

This party filled the house and flowed out the back patio door

It was a lovely, lazy affair on a perfect November day. We thank everyone who came together to make it possible.

Glenn, 

for the New Parade Committee, 

www.flyingpigparade.org

We also thank Dave and Michael for letting us for the liberal use their excellent photographs.

                           _______________________________

 

 

H'WEEN IN DA 'HOOD

 SPOOKTACULAR!    

Tuesday's Neighborhood Halloween Parade

 

     Almost 200 of us gathered on NW 12th Road on October 31 to celebrate All Hallows Eve.  It was our fourth annual Florida Park Halloween Parade and what fun it was.

 All twelve feet of Mr. Bones led the procession with a gaggle of costumed kids close behind.  

    We had a record number of participants because this brother/sister team (Fargo and Foley) created our flyer and helped distribute it.

 

 

King Mango and Petey ("Flyboy") Pig joined me as we got the group rollin' at 6 p.m.

We had our most awesome band ever keeping us in step.

 

 Here are a few photos of our neighbors in costume,

 

City Commission Bryan Eastman and his family

My grand-nephew, Sam Terry, in disguise

This cheerleader wasn;t very cheerful.

King and Queen Neptune with their princess

Pimpin' dude with alien abductee

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

Creepy Parent

This kid was takin' no guff from King Mango. Mom, or Grandma.

Mr. Bones didn't lose a leg like he did last year.  He's so big he's in almost every photo...

Cowgirl Nancy whackin' Chickenhead with her powerful Pink Whoopin' Tube.  That's Wolfman on the left beating  the band's drum.

Neighbors Gina & Lee letting their free pig fly

Steve Harris with his buddy, Howard Miller, and a whole bunch of family rolled with us.

Julie kept asking for the name of a good dentist.      And finally,

We learned that our country's Space Corps is so hard up for recruits they're allowing anyone between the age of one and one hundred to sign up. The parade ended with these two proud enlistees.

                                 _________

Our holiday procession had high spirits and broad smiles. I invited everyone to join December 30th's Flying Pig Parade* in downtown Gainesville.

Why wait a whole year to have this much fun again? 

                         __________________

*www.flyingpigparade.org