by Washington Washington
This year’s Dogwood Parade was engaging as years previous. There were the typically represented fire companies, marching bands, and boy scout / brownie troops, but also a few surprises…
Freakin’ Hip Hop, the 76ers mascot, was there slinging his balls around. I signaled to Hip Hop’s handler and he promptly rifled one of the mini-Sixers plush basketballs into my hands. Nice one, brotha!
Also making an appearance this year, and many previous years, was Danny Kean the Traveling Piano man and his dog Boner. I had a chance to talk with Danny before the parade began (and crapily play his piano). For over 20 years he’s been “Bringing the Beat to the Street” fulltime! He told me that he sold his house and intends to travel the world with his truck, piano, and Bo by his side. Ahh, the spirit of music!
The various Mummers troops also got the crowd rowdy as hell. This year two troops represented proudly with strong performances: the Hegeman String Band and Woodland String Band. I will never tire of watching grown men – presumably drunk – dance around in handmade glittery outfits, playing party songs via horns and percussion.
VIDEO: Woodland String Band strutting their stuff
Two Irish-themed musical outfits stormed the streets, begging onlookers to hoist imaginary pints to the sky – Irish Thunder, and the Reilly Band – and the ever-parade-present calliope conjured up surreal images of the past while piping out some semi-sweet (or sour) notes.
VIDEO: Semi-creepy calliope in action
By far the worst/creepiest parader was Ronald McDonald and the shabbily painted McDonald’s truck, but we’ll forgive that in lieu of the awesome food they serve.
All-in-all, the 2009 Phoenixville Dogwood Parade was an enjoyable event much like every year. The mimosas help!
Love it or hate it, one of Phoenixville’s longest-running traditions begins next week: the Dogwood Festival. Some may think it’s a cheesy carnival with creepy carnies and food containing enough trans fats to kill an elephant, others can’t get enough of how the smell of funnel cakes makes your mouth water and the nausea caused by one too many rides on the 
The crowning of the Dogwood Queen began in the mid-1940s and the queen, usually a junior in high school, obtained her crown by selling war bonds. The first Dogwood Pageant was held because there was no longer a need to sell war bonds. The first pageant and festival was a one-day event held in 1952, and each year the queen would plant a dogwood tree in 
