Memorial Day weekend was for honoring the heroic sacrifice of patriots. But this weekend in Charles Village was for honoring the relentless silliness of goofballs.
All things have their time, and yesterday was an opportunity to pay homage to a skateboarding dog, a 20-year-old painted Volkswagen, people walking along pulling trash on strings and a "Spammobile" resembling a giant can of the legendary luncheon meat.
The parade and festival have become the close-knit urban community's unofficial launch of the summer season.
The parade originated in the mid-1990s when "a group of neighbors were talking about how we all work on crime and grime, and we said, 'Wouldn't it be great to just celebrate living here?'" said parade coordinator Steven Rivelis, 48, a consultant who works on community issues.
But who could have known that this kernel of an idea would blossom into a parade with 45 entries accompanied by a festival of food, crafts and carnival games for kids?
The theme of yesterday's procession was "A United Beat." But the unofficial slogan for the parade every year is "Anything Goes."
It has elements of a real parade - drummers and prizes for the best entries, and local politicians and celebrities, who yesterday included Maryland Secretary of State John T. Willis and state Sen. Barbara A. Hoffman.
Rivelis said he is constantly overwhelmed by the absurdity of some of the contestants. "My favorite is a group called the Baltimore Noisemakers," Rivelis said. "It's a collection of things from the trash that they play."
One Noisemaker dragged a "Chock Full o' Nuts" coffee can along the street. Others played drums or instruments, trailed by a green frog float powered by two guys pedaling an oversized tricycle.
Joining the parade was a spaniel in sunglasses and a top hat being pulled along on a red-white-and-blue skateboard by its owner. Then there was "TopCat," a 1982 Volkswagen van painted with cats and other images.
Organizers of the Children of the World Co-Op, which offers a local play group and other services, dressed themselves and their children as ants. "The theme of the parade is 'A United Beat' and ants are a very united group," said parent Carmen Stanford.
The festival continues today in and around the Wyman Park Dell, 29th and Charles streets, from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.