The Smiles Day celebration in the Rushville Central Park was very visible from our place. The parade went right by our corner with a dozen marching bands, parade floats, all the police and emergency vehicles in the county, and dozens of horses, riders and buggies all of whom were named individually, horses included. It was also the 175 birthday of Schuyler County and there was cake enough for everyone to have a piece and sign the birthday card.

Things looked pretty basic when starting out. The streets were freshly cleaned by the city crew and the residents of the county jail, including pulling all the weeds in the cracks in the sidewalks. By 10 A.M. everyone was ready.

The marching bands went on forever!!

 
Sacagawea's son Pomp is Rushville's roving ambassador. Uh, no, not the big dude on the left, that's Pomp's papa. Pomp is a year old kid sized doll being held by Sacagawea...a long story! Fortunately the horses were last after all the marching bands and float and cars full of people throwing wrapped candies to the kids along the route. All got cleaned up the next morning, along with a full day of sandwich wrappers and paper cups!

Oh yes, we got a kitty! Lily!