Rain, Rain, Stay Away

Grand Marshall Dee Challis, who directs the Pageant of the Masters, with a King Kong prop from last year’s production that will make a return visit in this year’s Patriot’s Day Parade. Laguna Beach may look like a populous metropolis, but in its heart it is still a small town with values that include community spirit and patriotism. To foster appreciation for both, community leaders have staged the yearly Patriot’s Day Parade since 1967 to honor U.S. military service members and vets.

Since then, the concept has widened considerably and, while love of country still prevails and the flag is omnipresent, the parade has become a means to also recognize diverse community activists, including outstanding youngsters.

“It’s said that half the town marches in the parade and the other watches it,” said No Square Theater director Bree Burgess Rosen, the 2007’s parade citizen of the year. “Traffic is knots for a while and everyone is having a great time.”

Residents and visitors alike should expect the same this Saturday, March 6. Beginning at 11 a.m., the parade themed “Free- dom’s Legacy” will wind its way through downtown and consequently driving will be a challenge as Laguna Beach police will close the following streets between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.: Park Avenue (between Wendt Terrace and Coast Highway), Glenneyre

Between Legion Street and Forest Avenue), and Forest Avenue, Third, Second and Mermaid streets in their entirety.

The parade celebrates the good things that come with living in town and the U.S., said parade association president Miready chael Lyons, a native whose parents took him to his first Patriot’s Day Parade at four months.

Diane (Dee) Challis Davy, artistic director of the “Pageant of the Masters,” is this year’s grand marshall, and Dave Connell, a U.S. Navy veteran and commander of the American Legion has been named patriot of the year.

Drs. Tom Bent and Korey Jorgensen of the Laguna Beach Community Clinic are designated citizens of the Year,” and Laguna Beach High School seniors Hannah Glass and Austin Giangeruso as junior citizens of the year. Thurston Middle School sixth-grader Lorenzo Gomez wrote this year’s winning essay on the subject of freedom’s legacy. (The text is included in the parade’s program.)

“Although we honor our veterans, we also recognize that there are many ways to serve our country,” said Lyons, a former Peace Corps volunteer who spent the last five years as a student advisor at American Uni- versity in Beirut.

Challis Davy, also a life-long Laguna Beach resident, is a parade veteran, having participated since she was an LBHS senior and received a Festival of Arts scholarship. “I have never before been an honoree of the parade but the ‘Pageant of the Masters’ has taken many trophies,” she said, referring to the production’s annual float entry.

Past grand marshall’s have included Walter and Cordelia Knott, ’67; radio personality Charlie Tuna, ’75; and the kids from the television show “The Waltons,” ’74. Last year the committee honored OC Register columnist Frank Mickadeit. “We chose Frank because of the patriotism and greater community spirit that he expresses in his writing,” said Sandi Werthe, the committee treasurer, who became involved 35 years ago as parade traffic controller. She was still dating her husband Hal, a former parade grand marshall and two-time chairman. The couple shared citizen of the year honors in 1993.

“As I was riding in that parade, I was thinking I am not worthy. They honor service men and women and I have no service record. It’s one of the more humbling things I have ever taken part in,” said Mickadeit, still stoked about the honor. “I kept running back and forth between the grand narshal’s platform and the back where my friends from ‘Lagunatics’ were,” he recalled.

This year’s line up includes 98 groups, ranging from School Power to Spurs and Satin and including scout troops, the Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce, the Ebell Club, Bunco Babes, A & D Music, and local newspapers including your Indy.

Parade float standards are flexible. “Really, anything that is drivable can be a float,” said Werthe. Don’ts include overt religious, political or social groups or proclamations, and nothing can be thrown off conveyances.

Come rain or shine, we will be out there on Saturday,” she said.