Feathers Flies at State Fair Parade

Honkers: Ginger Coberley, Valerie Baldwin, Ashley Roseberry, Holly Burton, Marissa Hempel-not pictured, Jerry Roseberry

The Lamar Honkers represented the community in this year’s State Fair Parade in Pueblo, bringing the well-known mascot, “Feathers”, decorated to this year’s parade theme, ‘Horsing Around in Pueblo, since 1869’.

Crowds Along the Parade Route

While Feathers didn’t bring home a trophy, as has happened in some past years, she still managed to garner a lot of attention from the people lining the parade route. “Hey, it’s a giant goose!”, or “Look, it’s Feathers!” as some older members of the audience remembered the giant goose decoy from prior visits.

Into the Home Stretch

One person inquired, “Is this the original decoy?”, who added she remembered seeing it as a somewhat younger person. Feathers was constructed in the mid 1960s by Eldon Frey who was a Honker at that time.  Using rebar and styrofoam as the base, a textured rug served as her outer covering.  The goose  is on wheels and hollow enough inside to leave room for two adults to push Feathers in a parade.

Unfortunately, you’re mostly pushing blind as traditionally, a Honker or two would guide the float by adjusting the tail to stay in the middle of the road. It’s hard work on a summer’s day, especially for a parade as lengthy as one for the state fair.  For most of her past parades, Feathers remains atop a trailer designed to fit her dimensions for transport.  If personal schedules permit, the Honkers are dedicated to representing our area in next year’s event.

By Russ Baldwin