‘It was pretty crazy’: Summerlin parade fans rush to grab spots
The Summerlin Patriotic Parade is set for Tuesday, but to snag a good spot along the route, many faithful paradegoers showed up a day early.
In a new rule that went into effect this year, the Summerlin Parade website states, “Parade attendees may set up their viewing area along the parade route beginning at 7 a.m. the day preceding the event. Personal items placed before this time will be removed and donated.”
In past years, paradegoers would show up one to two days before the parade and begin to set up their tents and viewing areas. But with this year’s change, those hoping to get a top spot early all showed up at once early Monday morning.
“It was like a parade of cars,” said Veronica Corona, a faithful attendee of the parade for the last five years. “It was pretty crazy today, but I’m OK with the new rule. I was able to get a good spot along the route so I’m looking forward to (the parade).”
Those new to the Summerlin Parade were under the impression that the rule had been in place and didn’t mind at all.
Tuesday’s Summerlin parade will be the first for Consuelo Cardenas and her family.
“With the Fourth being in the middle of the week, people have to work the next day,” she said, “so once I found out about the parade and how early in the morning it is, I thought it would be a perfect event for the family and being able to set up a day before is great.”
While the rule came as a minor change for many, it marked a major inconvenience for others.
“It makes no sense to have this new rule and not enforce it,” Frank Dobbs said.
He showed up to the parade route at 7:09 a.m. only to find almost all of the “good spots” claimed by tents and blankets.
“We would usually come early and set up and get a perfect spot but now I’m off to the side and the sun is going to be directly on me in the morning,” Dobbs said.
The website stated that anything set up before 7 a.m. was going to be picked up and donated, but, according to Dobbs, that wasn’t the case.
“There were no trucks or any kind of enforcement for these people who got here earlier than allowed. I tried to follow the rules but I guess to get a good spot you have to break them,” Dobbs said.
Contact Kiara Adams at kadams@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-0399. Follow @kiadams101 on Twitter.
