mother goose parade el cajon | Russel Ray Photos

This past Sunday I went to the 66th Annual Mother Goose Parade in El Cajon, California. El Cajon is kind of redneck country, and the parade did not disappoint. I felt like I was at the biggest conservative redneck gun-toting republican secessionist religious rah rah party in the world.

Although it really felt good to get back to civilization, I did have a good time. I’m like that. Give me a bunch of lemons and I’ll make lemonade or lemon meringue pie…….. or I’ll invite YOU over to have lemon shots with me!

Some pictures from the 2½-hour parade:

The Mother Goose Parade started in 1947 when El Cajon’s population was a mere 1,500 residents. However, that first parade resulted in about 25,000 spectators. It grew to 100,000 in 1949, 300,000 in 1963 when the parade was postponed a week due to President Kennedy’s assassination, and 400,000 in 1973. It now ranks as San Diego’s largest parade.

It also claims to be the “largest of its kind” west of the Mississippi. I don’t know what “largest of its kind” means. Largest children’s parade? Largest parade on the Sunday before Thanksgiving? Largest conservative redneck gun-toting republican secessionist religious rah rah parade?

San Diego’s next parade will be the Big Bay Balloon Parade which will be held on December 27, 10:00 a.m., with the Holiday Bowl, matching a Pac-12 team against a Big 12 team, at 6:45 that evening.