Photo by Jessica Stewart / St. Joseph News-Press / Purchase this photo

Sherry Logan and Kelly Guess dance down the street in their bear costumes Saturday afternoon for the May Fest Parade. The women walked with the Brown Bear Tavern float.

A parade long enough to cramp a parent’s feet will always seem short to the children chasing candy in the street.

The annual May Fest Parade on Saturday gave North Side residents the chance to show their pride as the ROTC program, band and cheerleaders from Lafayette High School led the procession up St. Joseph Avenue to Krug Park.

Neighborhood businesses bumped by in cars with enough back-seat bass to drown out whatever message they tried to yell to the sidewalk. But that’s what the signs are for, and of course, the candy.

Shirley Hart said she had fun, but admitted she was happy to see the police cruiser that signaled the end of the parade.

The message wasn’t as clear to her 4-year-old son, Wyatt. He waited on the sidewalk, waving to the traffic that trailed the parade. These cars didn’t throw candy, no matter how loud he asked.

“I don’t know what we’re going to do with all of it,” Ms. Hart said. “He still hasn’t finished his candy from the Apple Blossom Parade.”

Of course, there’s more to a parade than candy.

Edna Huffman and her family were one of many to set up chairs in front of their house to watch the parade. Sure, they could have seen the whole thing from their living room window, but what’s the fun in that?

“A parade is the only time all year you see some of the neighbors come out and sit on the porch these days,” Ms. Huffman said. “It reminds me of how things used to be. Now the younger people all sit inside all day.”

One day earlier and the parade would have been a washout. Saturday was almost perfect for soaking up the spring air. Warm enough to leave the jacket at home, with enough chill in the air to make the St. Joseph Fire Department’s water balloons worth dodging.

“We dodged one from Mother Nature, but we would’ve watched and had our fun, rain or shine,” Ms. Huffman said. “You can’t rain on a North Sider’s parade.”

Clinton Thomas can be reached

at clintonthomas@npgco.com.