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he Croaker ruled at the 30th Annual Croaker Festival Parade. The fish was depicted with, among other things, balloons, and as a stuffed animal. Tribute was paid by mermaids, fishermen and even Neptune.

Spinnaker Point Homeowners Association netted a balloon croaker — composed of 200 balloons — and took it along the parade route. The Spinnaker Point Neptune Float, which followed the fish, won the Grand Poo-Bah award. All those balloons made one wonder: what would a Croaker sound like after inhaling helium?

Most dragons — Oriental’s other town mascot — seemed to stay away from this year’s Croaker Festival parade. Perhaps they were giving the humble croaker — also known as the “American Grumbler” for the noise it makes — its day in the sun.

Neptune and his mermaid court.

This year’s Croakerfest parade grand marshals were a dozen women who, in 1980, were part of the Oriental Junior Woman’s Club when it organized the first Croaker Festival. (Many of those “Juniors” eventually formed Ladies of the Neuse which this year awarded trophies in 11 categories. (List of the winners follows our 8 pages of photos.)

This year’s Grand Marshals were the originators of the Croaker Festival. Thirty years ago, the Oriental Junior Woman’s Club organized the first Croaker Festival. A dozen members from that 1980 group rode the float this year.

Parademeister Paul Fairbank, who has organized the parades in recent years, says there were more than 100 entries for this 30th Croaker Parade. For participants and parade-goers alike, the weather cooperated in a big way. Temperatures were in barely in the 80’s, which compared favorably to last year’s 100 degree swelter.

Just before the parade, John Bond made some last-minute adjustments to his golf cart float which celebrated 30 years of croaker-dom.

Fay Bond rode her bike in the parade, wearing the dress her mother, Irma Midyette, wore at the first Croaker parade 30 years ago. Fay and her husband John Bond shared honors for Best Theme Interpretation. On the handlebars of her bike, she displayed a photo of Miss Irma wearing the dress.

Taylor Buck was one of the contestants in the Miss Minnow contest — open to 3-5 year old girls. She had the royal wave down pat.

It’s all in the wrist..

Bill Sternberg and John Kyak, aka Frick and Frack, built this dragon for the parade. Dragons, normally in abundance at the Croaker Parade, were in short supply this year, perhaps letting the lowly fish have all the attention on this 30th anniversary. They get the TownDock award for most folk-art dragon.

See next pages for more photos.

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A crowd watched the parade from the shade of Charlie Overcash’s porch on Hodges Street.

If it quacks like a duck…. Ducks Unlimited won the prize for Best Float. Hop Hudson was riding watergun, along with Keith Lefler, Stephen Morris and Randy Jones.

“30 Croakers to You”: Barbara Lauzon and Marsha Sak with the Spinnaker Point Homeowners Association show off one of the many fish that passed for “ 30 Croakers” on the Association’s float.

Mourners round the corner from Broad on to Hodges Street. The Pamlico Shriners in their black suits were among the happiest about the relatively cool weather.

Royal Moore of Bonnerton just over the Pamlico County line near Aurora is part of the Pamlico DAV. A Vietnam Veteran, he carried the flag in this year’s parade. The veterans entry won for Most Patriotic.

Something about that red tractor — and the person driving it — seemed familiar. Patrick Baker last appeared in an Oriental parade in December. when he was The Grinch and his tractor broke down near the Town Dock. This time, despite a slight hacking cough, the tractor made it the entire route without stopping.

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Old tractors just don’t need much decoration to look great in a parade

The Croaker Band’s float. The band is part of the bigger Pamlico Community Band.

The Croaker Band just before the parade started..

Chris Mele plays French horn in the Croaker Band. A few seconds earlier she’d had been walking down the parade route handing out small Amerian flags to spectators.

A few waves from the window of the Florence-Whortonsville Volunteer Fire Department’s truck.

Along the parade route, Gail Wallace sports one of the croaker hats.

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Morgan Fitzgerald, Croaker Queen.

Grass is greener moment. Miss Minnow Brylei Simpson craned her neck, looking back…

… at another little girl who was harvesting candy from Broad Street.

On Oriental’s Station 19 fire truck Hoosier the Dalmatian was waving his tail as the humans waved their hands to the crow. The human behind Hoosier is Jeff Troeltzsch.

This “Thelma and Louise” looked spot-on authentic

Parade Meister Paul Fairbank and Tom Butner, who, we are told, doubles as the Wrightsville Beach Lions Club Lion.

A lion among parade goers

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“Cookie” the clown (aka Karl Coch), dressed as a dog catcher, tempts “Juanita”, the Sudan Mourners’ mule, with a treat. The mule, who has walked in the Croaker Parade ten times, declined.

Walk a mile in those shoes?

The Rotary Club’s giant tarpon advertising the Tarpon Tournament later this month. As it passed, one spectator suggested that folks take a good look at the tarpon – sightings are rare….

Jason Haluska, of Memphis, Tennessee, supervises two jelly fish and a pirate (humans Emery, Owen and Oliver) aboard the Naughty-Cl by Nature float which won the Ladies of the Neuse judges over as Most Creative entry. Jason, who is visiting Ed and Deborah Bryant in Oriental, says each jellyfish was constructed of “a sombrero, hula hoop and balloons.”

A vintage Studebaker…

Behind the Studebaker, a boat where a boy rowed while a girl, who was about to turn 5, rode along. The float won the Cutest Kids in Action trophy.

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This being an election year, there were a few political entries…

Norman Sanderson, Republican candidate for the State House in the district including Pamlico and Craven Counties.

State House Representative Alice Underhill whose district includes Pamlico and Craven Counties. She is the Democratic incumbent.

Barbara Garrity-Blake, Democratic candidate for the State Senate seat which includes Pamlico, Craven and Carteret counties.

State Senator Jean Preston, Republican incumbent .

Oriental’s History Museum crew passes the harbor, where much of Oriental’s history has been made.

John and Fay Bond shared the prize for Best Theme Interpretation. John’s entry was this float of a man with a fish.

Boy Scouts of Pamlico County.

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First Citizens Bank Manager Sally Belangia’s ‘stand-in’ on the bank’s float where she usually rides during the parade. This year, Sally was one of the dozen grand marshals honored for starting the Croakerfest 30 years ago and was riding on that float.

Crew from First Citizens Bank pointed out that the bank has been around for more than 100 years.

Shriners brought their Professional Mourners and the very much less buttoned-down “Cooligans” who stopped to dance in the street when they weren’t propelled on their motorized ice chests.

Jerry Kilborn and Ross Pease rode Jerry’s trike. They weren’t in any group, Ross says, but were “just in the parade.”

Portraits of Christ had a spinning cross atop its steeple.

Limousine passengers were not readily visible, but through the opened rear windows spectators on the other side of the street could be seen.

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There was much to see, even for parade participants.

Oriental Express Bike Club before the parade.

Sofi and Sammi went along for the ride, and were ready for high wind conditions.

2010 Croaker Festival Trophy Winners

1. The Grand Poo-Bah (Wow factor) – Spinnaker Point Float with King Neptune & Mermaids

2. Best Team Spirit – The Cub Scouts of Pamlico County

3. Best Theme Interpretation – John & Fay Bond

4. Best Float – Ducks Unlimited

5. Most Patriotic – The Honor Guard & Veterans

6.Most Creative Float – NAUGHTY-CL By Nature Float (Otter Creek)

7.Best Dressed Animal – Piano Dog – PAWS Float

8. Most Enthusiastic – Cooligans/Mini-motor Scooters (Grady Dixon)

9. Best Educated Sailors – Bow to Stern Sailing School

10.Best Musicians – The Croaker Band

11. Cutest Kids in Action – The Ray Family Float

Ellen Speciale who is usually behind the counter at Village Hardware, stepped out front to watch as the parade worked its way down Broad Street.

Posted Monday July 5, 2010 by Melinda Penkava