Thomas J Hooker Parade

This morning we decided after work, we would head on out to Hartford to view the Thomas J Hooker Parade for the first time. We really didn't know what to expect. We heard a lot of people dress up in outrageous costumes. The parade is to celebrate the founding of Hartford by Thomas J Hooker. How the theme became "craziness", I don't know. But it is all in fun and was a unique experience. For almost an hour we watched in awe as the various performers and clever costumes passed by in this most upbeat parade. We noticed the children watching the parade came prepared with tote bags. This parade was like trick or treating. They threw out pounds of candy and mardi gras beads. The kids filled their bags and we actually filled our pockets too...heck, I've never been to a parade that throws out chocolate bars! We wanted to make sure that the children didn't get the snickers or baby ruths because they might have a nut allergy...it was out obligation. :) Another unique thing---I saw several parade goers taking pictures of people in the crowd. They were very interactive with the audience. Here are some of the shots I took. I had a hard time deciding which ones to edit out, so I am just going to put more in another post for everyone to enjoy.