Keeping the tradition of Annie and Mary showing up for their parade going, Kim Durham (from left), Tami Trump, Janine Volkmar, Tara Mar, Stayce Curry and Larella Moore arrived wearing vintage clothes provided by Volkmar before the start of the parade. Credit: Photo by Mark Larson
The Mad River Old Crows (aka the Old Crows), a Blue Lake men’s group/social club “with no hierarchy, agenda or rules,” emerged on the scene 13 years ago to enjoy each other’s company and to donate their skills, money and energy to community projects. In recognition of their many contributions, the Blue Lake Chamber of Commerce named them the grand marshals of this year’s Annie and Mary Day Parade held last Sunday, Aug. 9.
This was only the second time in 58 years of the Annie and Mary Day Parade that an organization was given this honor. Around 20 members of the Old Crows showed up in matching shirts, with a banner and a large crow puppet flapping its wings to lead the parade at 11 a.m., following the usual grange breakfast.
With Sgt. Pepper (Leslie Quinn, of Arcata) leading the murder of Old Crows, the parade included a contingent of Blue Lake’s Ladies of the Lake social club, six well-dressed Annies and Marys, the Ravens Against the Machine Kinetic Grand Championship team, a contingent from Dell’Arte including three very big puppets, a boat from the Blue Lake Yacht Club, a logging truck with a load of redwood, kids on bikes and more. But not a single horse in the parade this year.
As usual, Railroad Avenue featured the Bill Nessler Car Show and at noon, craft, educational and food vendors opened in Perigot Park. The beer booth was a fundraiser for the Redwood Coast Mountain Bike Association.
The Humboldt Folklife Society organized the afternoon music that also started at noon in Perigot Park. Ceol sa Cheo (“music in the fog”) began with traditional Irish dance music; Sari Baker, Mike Craghead and Jeff Smoller were next with original tunes, blues, rock and folk music; Firesign followed with multiple part harmonies and diverse accompaniment; and returning after a long hiatus since their last performance, UKEsperience performed a self-described blend of island vibes, country blues and ukuleles.
When members of the Old Crows are not enjoying social time, according to member Marvin Samuels, of Blue Lake, their volunteer projects have included restoration of the historic Mad River Grange building, creating the yin/yang concrete bench at Crow Park, refurbishing the bocce ball courts, construction of the horseshoe pits next to the horse arena, construction and installation of the pergola at the town square and various work projects at Prasch Hall and Perigot Park.
See more photos from the celebration at northcoastjournal.com.
Mark Larson (he/him) is a retired Cal Poly Humboldt journalism professor and active freelance photographer who likes to walk.
Sgt. Pepper (Leslie Quinn, of Arcata) arrived early before the Annie and Mary Day Parade. But she wasn’t lonely for long, as the Mad River Old Crows, Ladies of the Lake and other parade participants soon lined up. Credit: Photo by Mark LarsonBlue Lake’s Ladies of the Lake , including (from left) Sherri Green, Colleen Hole, Susan Dean, Mariel Morrison, Elizabeth Mackay and Trude Frasier, were sparkling as they checked in with Sgt. Pepper (Leslie Quinn) before the start of the Annie and Mary Day Parade. Credit: Photo by Mark LarsonA murder of these Mad River Old Crows showed up before the start of the Annie and Mary Day Parade to be honored this year as grand marshals, including (left to right front row) Jeff DeMark, Marvin Samuels, John Bartholomew, Keith Morrison, Bob Felter, Rick Levin (second row left to right), Vaughn Hutchins, Bob Chapman, Jim Brown, John “Grondo,” Grondalski, Scott Fraser, Keith Barnard, Bill Hole and Rick Willits. Credit: Photo by Mark LarsonHank Combs brought his logging truck loaded with redwood to join the Annie and Mary Day Parade before heading on his way to an out-of-county mill. Credit: Photo by Mark LarsonThe Annie and Mary Day Parade was led by Sgt. Pepper (Leslie Quinn, of Arcata) in front of the contingent of Mad River Old Crows, who were honored as grand marshals this year for their many contributions of skill, money and energy to community projects. Credit: Photo by Mark LarsonThe Annie and Mary Day Parade honored the Mad River Old Crows as grand marshals this year for their many contributions of their skills, money and energy to community projects. Credit: Photo by Mark LarsonKeeping the tradition of Annie and Mary showing up for the parade going, Tami Trump (left), Tara Mar, Larella Moore, Janine Volkmar, Stayce Curry and Kim Durham paused walking in the breezy conditions during the parade for a photo. Credit: Photo by Mark LarsonPilot Todd Kraemer of the Ravens Against the Machine Kinetic race machine displayed its artistic design and showed off its racing prowess during the Annie and Mary Day Parade. Credit: Photo by Mark LarsonDell’Arte artistic director Noah Bremer (left) and Kevin Becker carried the DAI flag followed by three large puppets in the Annie and Mary Day Parade. Credit: Photo by Mark LarsonA large puppet from Dell ‘Arte greeted observers of the Annie and Mary Day Parade in Blue Lake on Sunday. Credit: Photo by Mark LarsonAt the Bill Nessler Car Show on Sunday, Tina Stevahn, of Bayside, showed off her beautiful split-window camping trailer made by Peter Portugal. Stevahn said she bought the one-of-a-kind trailer a year ago from Portugal to tow behind her 1971 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia (on the right) that she has owned for 45 years. Credit: Photo by Mark LarsonActivities for children at Perigot Park on Sunday included a play station and Shoshanna Rose’s interactive Kinetic Sculpture Design Station, where children could design their own race machines. Credit: Photo by Mark LarsonLisa Hoover, a volunteer and Board member for the Great Redwood Trail Agency, attracted a crowd to her display at Perigot Park as she pointed out one of the remaining sections of the Annie and Mary Trail section still in the design stage that will parallel West End Road before crossing the Baduwa’t (Mad) River to near Murphy’s Market. Credit: Photo by Mark LarsonJulie Christie, organizer of the Blue Lake Yacht Club, brought her family and friends aboard her brother’s boat to roll the Annie and Mary Day Parade in Blue Lake on Sunday. Credit: Photo by Mark LarsonThe Humboldt Folklife Society organized Sunday’s music in Perigot Park, starting at noon with Ceol sa Cheo (Alina Larson, Blake Ritter and Chris Hinderyckx seen here), Sari Baker, Mike Craghead and Jeff Smoller (still searching for a band name), Firesign and UKEsperience. Credit: Photo by Mark Larson
