Louisville celebrates Labor Day with small-town vibes, community and costumed pets – Boulder Daily Camera

Cheering crowds lined Louisville’s Main Street on Monday where people convened to watch as school groups, car clubs, floats from local businesses, marching bands, politicians, cheerleaders and fire trucks made their way through downtown.

Steven Cook, who grew up in Louisville and now lives in Erie with his wife and four children, said they look forward to the parade every year.

“The kids love seeing all the people and the candy and the firetrucks,” he said. “They ask all summer ‘when will it be Labor Day?’ It has a small-town feel that’s really fun.”

Before the big event, participants in the annual Children’s Pet Parade scurried across a few blocks of Main Street. Dogs, several cats and even a couple of guinea pigs joined in the fun, where costumes were optional. The American Legion Auxiliary rewarded the human participants with ice pops at the end.

“This is adorable,” said Julie DiMartino, whose 9-year-old daughter Sophia and dog Dottie joined the pet parade while sporting Erie Elementary T-shirts. “It’s their first parade. Dottie is just a great dog.”

The 88th annual Labor Day Parade kicked off at 10 am and was followed by a Fall Festival at Memory Square Park that included food, music, crafts and the return of its popular pie contest.

The Centaurus and Monarch high school marching bands’ competition seasons kick off at the yearly parade, which offers them a low-stakes opportunity to play show music, fight songs and crowd favorites.

“It’s a good time, and people love it,” said Gwyn Christensen, a senior and Monarch High drum major. “This is one of our first chances to perform for the season. We’re practicing marching in time and getting to play parts of our show.”

Sally Odorizzi, a junior and Centaurus High drum major, said she likes that the two rival bands are performing at the same event while giving back.

“It brings the community together,” she said.

Also bringing the music was Balfour Senior Living, whose residents rode on a float while dressed as miners and dancing to popular tunes. As they neared the judging booth, residents and staff joined the crowd in enthusiastically dancing along to “Macarena.”

Another mainstay of the parade is the Denver area Model A Ford Club.

While not a Model A, Sharon Miller and her husband joined in with their Ford Model TT truck. The Westminster couple bought the 1925 truck, once popular with farmers, from a friend’s estate after his death. Though once a truck that stayed mainly in a garage, they decided to take it on the road and show it off at events — after the couple sorted out the brakes to a safe condition. For added interest, they built a water pump contraption in the bed that crushes cans.

“It’s fun to educate people,” Miller said. “A lot of people don’t know what this truck is. This is where automobiles and trucks started. You wouldn’t have your modern, comfortable vehicles without it.”

Dana Anskey, whose son marched with Monarch’s band, is in her 14th year attending the parade. She always arrives extra early to set up near the start by the fire station, bringing chairs for her 80-year-old neighbors so they can walk over later. And she always brings friends, including one who was a parade first-timer this year and another who has attended with her since their kids were in preschool together.

“Even in a town that’s changed so much, the parade is still all about community,” she said. “Seeing all the excitement and nostalgia, it still gives you that same patriotic feeling.”

Originally Published: September 2, 2024 at 4:51 pm