March 18, 2005

Fred Astaire and Judy Garland were conspicuously absent from the passing faces (althought at 4'11", Judy Garland might have been among the taller ones). So it wasn't the classic Easter Parade. But it was still a good one.

A long queue of Kindergarden students, looking like so many brightly colored seeds of the future, flourished costumes that ran the gamut from the familiar conejo (rabbit) theme to more obscure depictions of Aztec mythical beasts. The spectators marveled at the novelty of the masquerades, a Noah's Ark of zoological appendages that included wings, petals, beaks, tails, stingers, bills, antennae, feathers and of course, floppy ears. For the extremely young of limb and heart, a festooned trailer, sporting four columns of balloons, was equipped with rows of chairs to float the toddlers over the course of the parade.

Children linked arms and proudly displayed their whimsical regalia. A few of them indulged in the hammish tropism of camera-mugging as their parents scurried through the ranks, clicking the pageant to film for posterity.

This was perhaps an impromptu parade. It wasn't on the official list of upcoming events, provided by Office of Tourism. Hopefully, it will become an annual tradition. As San Felipe's 1st Easter Parade, the weather couldn't have been better. The children were in full bloom. Below are a few photos of the activities.

Click on any thumbnail to enlarge.