After Attending the Lilac Parade in Spokane, Yakima Needs to Step Up their Game [PHOTOS]

I was in Spokane over the weekend for something unrelated but when I arrived we quickly learned it was the same weekend as the Armed Forces Torchlight Parade as part of their Lilac Festival. Now, I've seen several parades, I've been in several parades, I've driven and walked in several parades and have even announced several parades but all of that parade experience didn't prepare me for how huge this parade was.

I could tell something was up when I saw lines and lines of chairs already strung up for people to see when the parade actually happened. They had people literally tailgating the parade, making fresh tacos and more from the back of their trucks. While people were waiting for the parade they had a bunch of kids happily playing in the secured and blocked-off streets, using sidewalk chalk and more.

John Riggs

Along with the parade they also had a block market fair with people selling soaps and incense and well as snacks like cotton candy and kettle corn.

John Riggs

Along Riverfront Park they had even more food trucks. Can't go wrong with more food.

John Riggs

Then there was the parade itself. So many fun attendees from the usual hosts of high school marching bands to floats and honorees and more. It was fun to watch.

And it was long. Like, very long. We watched it for a while, then found ourselves in the hotel lounge area to grab something to eat only to look outside an hour later and see it was still going on. Quite the spectacle!

It seemed the entire city of Spokane came out for this. It was cool to see.

John Riggs

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