Homecoming Parade

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Small town America: Marysville, Kansas, has a population of about 3,500 and it's doing pretty well. It is the seat of Marshall County and serves as the commercial center for the surrounding hamlets and farms. Friday night was the homecoming parade, town party and high school football game. As a TV commercial once had it, it's as American as baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolet.

The best place to shoot a parade is the staging area, when the participants aren't moving and no one walks into your shot. From top to bottom, we have the Marine honor guard, junior football players, cheerleaders, bikers from the local American Legion post, a member of the high school band and one of the ugliest school mascots around, the Marysville Bulldog.

I saw that the bikers were from the American Legion from the back of their vests. Their large hall was the site of the Class of 1962's party on Saturday. Kansas' alcohol laws are a bit regressive but the Legion is a private club and had a bar. I asked the guys if it was well stocked. They told me not to worry, and they were right. A Tanqueray and tonic for $4. Can't beat that.