'Robbery' a hit in Okabena
OKABENA — It was standing room only on Okabena’s main street as a host of vehicles and floats passed locals and visitors alike.
- Tossing candy
OKABENA — It was standing room only on Okabena’s main street as a host of vehicles and floats passed locals and visitors alike.
“I like the antique tractors,” said Pat Brandt of Worthington, decked out in a sequined American flag vest and red cowboy hat. “I used to drive an old B John Deer with my uncle. I was a city girl, so I loved to go out and drive the tractor.”
In addition to myriad historic tractors and other farming equipment, the parade featured antique cars, bicycles dating back to the ’40s, a blue-sequins-clad color guard, local American Legions, and an antique Okabena Fire Department engine, followed by its much larger contemporary.
“Whenever we see any parade, we go. We’re retired,” said Rosemary Tauer of Windom with a laugh. She enjoyed the Lacrosse 4-H Club float, which was adorned with potted plants. “It was so simple. I thought those 4-Hers did a fantastic job on something that hardly cost anything.”
“I like pretty much all of it,” added husband Hilary.
The parade was followed by Okabena’s annual reenactment of Bonnie and Clyde’s May 1933 robbery of First State Bank of Okabena. Of course, the guns didn’t fire real bullets, and these robbers were kind enough to share the loot with the large crowd of onlookers.
“This is pretty accurate,” said Okabena resident Dave Pomerenke of the show. “My dad lived on a farm south of town in 1933 and he remembers hearing the gunfire. Of course, they didn’t know what it was until the next day.”
Festivities continued throughout the day, with winding lines at the children’s games and the much-anticipated fireworks that parade spectators came from neighboring towns to see.
Tags: state and region, fourth of july, news, okabena
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