One day after the July 4 parade, planners from the Exchange Club met for breakfast at Lake Highlands Town Center to revel in the day’s success and plan for next year’s event.
You can view my parade pics here.
President Gale Lewis: We believe we had the most entries we’ve ever had. It certainly felt bigger.
Paul Elkjer: It helped that July 4 was on a Thursday, too. More people were in town.
Greg Duval: I liked the new location of the carnival (up on the hill instead of down in the parking lot). It was more spread out and more visible. And it was much better than the old days, when inflatables were inside the gym.
Ric Moseley: Yeah, back then, some people never made it down to the carnival after the parade. They just kept going.
Truitt Matthews: Next year, they’ll have the new landscaping done. That will be great.
Lewis: Maybe they won’t run the sprinklers right before the parade the way they did this year (laughing).
This year, I didn’t see as many people from our generation. It wasn’t the high school parents so much, it was parents of little kids – and there were thousands of ‘em.
Elkjer: I think our whole neighborhood is turning over. We were the young people when we bought our house. Now there are a lot of little kids running around.
Matthews: That’s what’s supposed to happen (laughing).
Lewis: Yeah, one woman at the parade was looking for her lost car keys. That’s what I’d call a successful event.
Afterwards, (Grand Marshal and State Rep.) John Turner was, like, wow. Everyone says this parade is big deal, but I had no idea.
Elkjer: A small town parade in the middle of Dallas.