THIS YEAR'S IOWA STATE FAIR PARADE WAS ONE OF THE VERY BEST.
A GOOD OLD IOWA THUNDERSTORM BLEW THROUGH RIGHT BEFORE THE
PARADE START, BUT THE RAIN MOVED ON TO THE EAST AND THE PARADE
BEGAN RIGHT ON TIME WITH COOLER TEMPS, CLEARING SKIES, AND A
GREAT CROWD.
WE OPEN UP THE PARADE WITH THE IOWA AIR NATIONAL GUARD AND OUR
COLORGUARD AND GOVERNOR TERRY BRANSTAD.
THEY'VE SURE ARE CUTE LITTLE COPILOT THERE.
MIKE PEARSON WAS DRIVING THE TRACTOR IN MEMORY OF HIS FATHER,
MARK PEARSON, WHO HAS MANY, MANY YEARS BEEN A BROADCASTER WITH
IOWA PUBLIC TELEVISION, DONE THE IOWA PARADE, AS WELL AS MARKET
TO MARKET, AND SEVERAL OTHER SHOWS.
HE'S DEFINITELY GOING TO BE MISSED.
I'M SO PROUD OF MIKE.
I CAN'T IMAGINE THE EMOTIONS HE'S FEELING.
SECOND PLACE BEST USE OF FAIR THEME, THE LARGEST BUTTER COW
PIE.
THAT'S A LOT OF PIE, TOM.
YEAH, IT IS.
VERY IMAGINATIVE.
AND THE BAND.
BEST DRUM LINE, THE ISISERETTES, A POPULAR FAVORITE WITH THE
CROWD.
LET'S GIVE THEM A LISTEN.
§ § LOTS AND LOTS OF ENERGY.
AND THE 2011 IOWA STATE FAIR QUEEN FROM O'BRIEN COUNTY, PARIS
SCHNEPF.
AND ALSO, THE 103 IOWA STATE FAIR QUEEN CONTESTANTS ON THEIR
TRAM ROLLING BY, THE BEAUTIES FROM ALL OVER THIS WONDERFUL
STATE OF IOWA.
THEY'RE ALL PRACTICING THE PROPER WAVE.
THEY ALL HAVE THE PARADE WAVE.
BEAUTIFUL YOUNG LADIES.
WE'VE GOT THE FOLKS FROM IOWA PUBLIC TELEVISION.
THERE'S DAN.
I WAS VERY PROUD TO WALK WITH IOWA PUBLIC TELEVISION THIS
YEAR.
CHARLENE'S DANCE STUDIO, THIRD PLACE TIE, BEST USE OF A FAIR
THEME.
§ § IN FIRST PLACE BEST USE OF FAIR
THEME, ON WITH LIFE HAD A GREAT EXHIBIT WITH LOTS OF THE FAIR
FAVORITES.
FOR SECOND PLACE BEST SPECIALTY GROUP, TONYA OGDEN'S DANCE FX,
ONE OF THE ONLY DANCE STUDIOS LOCATED RIGHT IN THE HEART OF
DOWNTOWN DES MOINES.
LOOK AT THE ENERGY WITH THESE YOUNGSTERS.
§ THEY'RE VERY EXCITING TO WATCH
LOTS OF FUN.
LOTS OF SMILES.
§ THIRD PLACE IN THE MOST CREATIVE
ORIGINAL CATEGORY, THE IOWA SOCIETY OF MAYFLOWER
DESCENDENTS.
THEY HAD A FUN EVENT, GREAT FLOAT.
LOTS OF SMILES.
VERY PERIOD-ACCURATE COSTUMES.
GREAT JOB.
THIRD PLACE BEST SPECIALTY GROUP, BUENA VISTA CHEERLEADERS
AND THEIR MASCOT, BEAUFORT.
WE LIKE MASCOTS.
MOST CREATIVE SECOND PLACE IN THIS CATEGORY IS UNION PACIFIC
RAILROAD.
THAT WAS A LOT OF FUN.
THINK OF THE WORK THAT WENT INTO THAT.
WONDERFUL TRAIN.
WHAT A GREAT PARADE ADDITION.
VERY REALISTIC.
GREAT JOB.
THIRD PLACE BEST USE OF FAIR THEME, POLKA CLUB OF IOWA
CENTRAL CHAPTER.
THERE'S NOTHING LIKE POLKA ON A SEMI.
AT THE END THEY HAD POLKA ON A STICK.
THEY HAD A PICTURE ON A STICK OF THE POLKA FOLKS.
AND THE FIRST PLACE IN THE BEST
SPECIALTY GROUP, THE IOWA ALL-STARS.
CHEERING AND TUMBLING, DANCING.
LOTS AND LOTS OF ENERGY.
LOOK AT THEM HAVING FUN AT THE GREAT IOWA STATE FAIR PARADE.
THERE WERE 40 KIDS PARTICIPATING THIS YEAR.
THE BAND PERFORM BEST BAND PERFORMANCE MARCHING, DALLAS
CENTER-GRIMES HIGH SCHOOL, THE MARCHING MUSTANGS.
§ FIRST PLACE IN THE MOST ORIGINAL
CATEGORY, AMERICAN LEGION POST 61 WITH THEIR LIVE PORTRAYAL OF
THE RAISING OF THE FLAG AT IWO JIMA.
BASED OUT OF IDA GROVE, THIS REENACTMENT IS A VERY UNIQUE
FLOAT.
WONDERFUL.
WHAT A TRIBUTE.
AND THE BAND GOVERNORS CUP, CEDAR FALLS HIGH SCHOOL, CEDAR
FALLS TIGER MARCHING BAND.
§ THEY ARE AN ANNUAL FAVORITE.
THEY'VE BEEN HERE MANY, MANY YEARS IN ROW.
IT'S GREAT TO SEE THEM.
§ WE WRAP THINGS WITH THE HORSES
AND THE DES MOINES POLICE MOUNTED PATROL AND ALL THAT THEY
DO FOR THE CITY.
TOM, THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO FOR THE PARADE.
GREAT TO BE WORKING WITH YOU.
I'M BILL O'REILLY.
I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE IOWA STATE FAIR PARADE.