By GARRET JAROS/Lincoln Chronicle
YACHATS – Nowhere in America is the spirit of Independence Day more on display than Yachats’ La de da Parade where unity and inclusion explode in a kaleidoscope of colors – red, white, blue, rainbow – and tie dye too.
And nowhere in the parade’s ranks is the metaphor of America as a melting pot more embraced and accepted than in the tail-wagging Border Collie Brigade.
United under the banner “Keeping Ewe Safe” they padded along the parade route Friday openly flaunting lineage as division or pedigree over personality. Some are veterans aware there are treats along the way; others are new to the fanfare and adulation.
The crowds lining the streets smiled and called out “My favorite so far” and “there are a couple of border collies in there” and “isn’t that a basset hound?” and “that one looks like a cow trying to look like it’s big brother – that’s hilarious.”
Yes, Isabelle is half German short hair and Jag is half black lab. Abbey is an English shepherd and Hattie an Australian shepherd. And while there’s no doubt cowboy-hat wearing “Big Bad Bill” is a basset hound, who in the crowd could begrudge Juno, an Aussie doodle dressed as a border collie, her day?
Clearly no one as she proved to be a favorite of the several thousand people who lined Ocean View Drive on a sunny, technicolor day.
Such is the nature of the eclectic La de da Parade with its colorful and eye-popping Precision Umbrella Drill Team or the exuberant and uplifting Yachats Red Hot Rock Band.
The parade is the centerpiece of Yachats’ quirky community celebration that draws thousands to town that starts with pancakes at the Lion’s Club, an extra day of the Farmer’s Market, hot dogs at the Ladies Club, music inside or outside every bar and restaurant, and a big fireworks show at dusk.
But it may have been the parade’s hilariously uncouth flock of seagulls who whip-cream scat their way along the route that drew the most raucous laughter.
“Making people laugh is the best part,” said Jonathan Fletcher, one of those who wears a large seagull on the end of his arm that with a pull of his hidden finger releases its load. “Cruising by the sidelines and pooping as close as you can without actually landing on somebody, that’s the challenge. We reduce it to potty-humor but there’s lots of laughs, everybody gets a little chuckle.”
The crew loaded up on extra ammo this year and before the day was done, with one member wearing an eagle, managed to “scare the crap out of them” to the tune of 14 large cans of whipping cream.
Some of the border collie brigade circled back during the parade’s bottle-ups to – patriotically – help with cleanup.
None of the fun was lost on the Vangarde family of Wilsonville and Yachats.
“This is the 10th time I’ve been here,” said John who traveled from Wilsonville with his wife, Mariah, and 5-year-old daughter, Eastyncore. “It gets better every year. It’s so good to see everybody having a good time.”
“We love the parade,” Mariah said. “Every year we come out special for it. We love the Pride celebration and the Pride focus of it. We have family here but it’s our all-time favorite parade … it’s just really near and dear to our hearts.
“We do love the border collies and we loved the poodle (ahem: Aussie doodle) dressed as a border collie, we’re big supporters of that.”
And the seagulls? “You can’t beat that. And the dogs licking it up — it’s the PR campaign seagulls needed.”
Grandmother Shirley, who lives in Yachats, described the parade as “incredible” and like the “old fashion ones” with its small town charm. Grandfather Richard agreed with an “I love it and I’m here every year.”
He could not name a favorite but he and Shirley noted the “umbrellas work very hard.”
- Garret Jaros covers the communities of Yachats, Waldport, south Lincoln County and natural resources issues for the Lincoln Chronicle and can be reached at GJaros@YachatsNews.com
