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This is Page 3 of 3 of CroakerFest Parade Story & Photos

The Ladies Of The Neuse Parade Committee (Jean Chastang, Dixie Midyette and Marguerite Garette) gave out no less than 21 separate awards following the parade. Here are the results:

Grand Prize The Dragon float from The Healthy Dragon

Most Patriotic The "American Revolution float" by the Brazzelle family

Best "Got Croaker?" theme Mainsail Point

Most Creative Hargrove and Craven families

Best Vehicles Carolina Classic Cars

Special Merit - Oldest Participant Harry Lee, age 96 1/2 aboard a fine looking tractor

Most Eye Popping SCOO's "Ladies In Bikini Shirts"

Best Catch Of The Eye Irma Bond's "Oriental mermaids"

Best Bicycle group Sweetwater charters

Most Patriotic Youngster Ed Johnson family

Best Fishing Gear Skeeter Club

Best Glitz The Glitzy Chicks

Lone Rider Award The Lone Motorcycle Rider

Crowd Pleasers Sudan Mini Truckers

Cutest Float The Walt Brown family

Noisiest Mimes Children's Theatre

Best Civic Group Boy Scouts

Best Decorated Firetruck Oriental Firetruck decorated by the Pete Ritchie family

Best Digital Float Lupton Cell Page

Most Musical Float Habitat For Humanity

Best Bribe Award The Sudan Mourners, who delivered a necklace and a kiss on the cheek to parade judge Jean Chastang before the parade

The awards were designed and created by Kathie Bogue and Marguerite Garette.

The 2003 parade Grand Marshall was Barbara Venturi

And what would the Croakerfest Parade be without the theatre of the Red Hat Ladies?

TownDock "News Extra" characters made an appearance in the parade, along with columnist Ben Casey. Ben shared a float with TAIL Magazine Towel Man Paul Mascaro and the Oriental Information Minister (aka "Mo" or "Baghdad Bob").

The Information Minister was in rare form. Trailing a few hundred feet behind the band playing “Halls of Montezuma” the OIM held up a sign claiming, “There Is No Marine Band”. (Another sign informed the folks standing in 80 degree 10AM temperatures that “You’re Not Sweating. That’s Just Pamilco Mist”. )

Musical accompaniment came from Norm “My Accordion’s Never Been In The Closet” Czuchra of Bayboro. His son-in-law Hannes visiting from Switzerland represented the Swiss govt in the America’s Cup invite case.

Finally, Ceilidh, the Fur-Based-Wind-Guage laid low and sought shade below the replica of the Town Dock on the float.

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