Lakewood On Parade

Ah, I remember being in the high school marching band and participating in the parade and walking down Kipling in uniforms that didn’t allow for any cooling of the body. Still, it was fun and a good experience. Now, the name of «Lakewood on Parade» is a bit misleading. Because of budget cuts, they can’t afford to keep the parade aspect going. It’s been that way for a few years, though. Admission is free.
Instead, they focus on getting Jefferson County Stadium all set up to host vendors and a miniature carnival. Being that this is an «educational» zoned venue, they technically don’t allow smoking. Generally, the Lakewood Police will look the other way, as long as the smokers are being courteous. They do allow you to bring your own food in coolers, and I don’t think they search them. According to the website, there is no alcohol, dogs, cans, or glass containers allowed at the stadium.
On the south side of the stadium, they have most of the kids’ stuff. This year, there was a small performing stage, which hosted cute little dancers and a teenage band. There are vendors geared toward services for children, and places like a dental group gave away free balloons. There are arts and crafts tables, as well as a booth for a dance/​gymnastics group. The carnival has a few small attractions. I’d say they’re geared mostly toward little kids. There were four inflatable «rides,» a small swing ride, a teacups type ride, and a bouncy trampoline type ride (the kind you might see at Colorado Mills). The rides were decently priced for a fair, being $ 1 – 2 per person per ride.
On the north side of the stadium, they have more vendors which are mostly adult oriented, such as TV services, financial institutions, or other professional services. The face painting group is over here, too. They use spray on paint, which makes the process go faster and they look pretty nice. In the big courtyard area, they have most of the food/​drink vendors, as well as a live band. The bands are local and are usually pretty entertaining. The kids tend to play in front of where the band is playing, and it’s not uncommon for a band member to come down and interact with the kids by passing out tambourines, maracas, or just dancing with them.
The food vendors are local. The only big time chain I saw was Jamba Juice. We had dinner from a local BBQ company (Brad’s Pit BBQ), which was pretty good. I think we’ll visit their restaurant to try them again. They had beer stands, a place from Wystone’s World of tea, and Poppin Stuff, which had pretty yummy home made root beer. If you want to get food or drink, get there early, as the lines can get extremely long (think 20 – 30 people) and sometimes you can’t tell which line you’re waiting in.
Lastly, there is the fireworks. People can sit in the stands or go on the field. After they open up the field to allow people on, they have an oldies group playing music. They’re usually very good and they play fun songs. After their set, the organizers come out and give recognition to the sponsors and other notable people. Then lights out and the fireworks start. They shoot them off right at the end of the stadium, so they’re right there. They put on a good show, which lasts a while. You’re so close that you may get pieces of paper landing on you. They play some cheesy patriotic music over the loudspeakers, but it does fit with the show.
One of the best things about this celebration is the people. You will see all kinds of people, from the old to the young, the disabled and the abled, and skin colors from light to dark. Families, couples, and teenagers interact well with each other. And people are so friendly. With so many people in such a small area, you’d think that tempers may flare. We didn’t have any issues, and this was our second year. Heck, we even made new friends on the field before the fireworks started.
The only thing I don’t like about the whole event is the stadium. In the courtyard where the food vendors are located, it’s a daunting task to get in or out on the south entrances. The fences only allow for one person to get in and out, and the walkways are pretty narrow. You can get two strollers in the lane, but you have to be careful as you pass. If you go out onto the field for the fireworks, there is only one entry/​exit. The gate for that only allows one person or stroller through at a time. Getting on the field is bad, but getting off is worse. It can take several minutes for the flood of people to clear out. I’d hate to think what would happen if there were an emergency… it’d be a disaster.
In all, this is a fun event and I look forward to going again next year.