Vintage Festival!!

Looking Scary!

Every two years the Barossa Valley has a Vintage Festival Parade.  St. Hallett had a spot in the parade, float 24.  Our theme was Hallett-ween, so the float was spooky.  We had evil noises playing and everyone dressed up as scary things.  I was some sort of zombie devil prom queen thing.  I never decided on what I was, I just looked creepy-ish.  Then there was a dead bride and groom, a couple devils, skeletons, chain saw people, princesses, vampires…the usual.  

So the day started early…like we had to leave the house at 8:30 (a.m.) on a Saturday.  It really was not that bad.  Getting ready was a little stressful since I somehow blew up a converter while curling my hair; I was not too stoked on the smoke coming out of the outlet.  Everyone met at the float and the drinks started pouring.  We had some Riesling, Rose and Frivola for everyone to drink. 9:30 is not too early to start, is it? But to make sure nothing went too crazy, breakfast was supplied also: donuts, pasties, savory pies, quiches.  

The float was an old fashion truck with the St. Hallett logo on it and it was towing a flat bed trailer.  On the trailer was a porter potty (disguised), a barrel acting as a cauldron, and an umbrella.  The porter potty was a smart idea on the coordinators part.  The walk was about 7 kilometers (4.38 miles) so it took about two hours at the parade pace.  We all know drinking fluids leads to peeing, therefore to avoid any inappropriate bathroom breaks on the side of the road, there was the porter potty! I never used it, but I think the people who did use it were very grateful.  

As I said, the parade was 7K.  With in the first kilometer I found myself walking too close to the trailer and it ran over my foot! I don't know anyone noticed who I was walking with, and I don't know if anyone in the crowd noticed either, but I sure did.  I just stepped too close trying to get something off the trailer then there was a tire, rolling over my foot.  For the split second the tire was going over my limb, I thought to myself how people break feet getting ran over. So when the tire let me free, I stood there assessing the situation.  I was still walking.  I was not in too much pain.  There was no blood or crunching.  WOW, I am alright, but for the fact my foot was throbbing and I still had the majority of the parade to walk.  The next morning my foot was very sore and a bruise developed so I did not escape unscathed.  

Porter Potty on the Left. 

The highlight of our float was probably one of the interns, Kim, scaring all the people watching the parade.  He was dressed as the scream character and would walk up to, what it seemed, either small children or old people, and yell at them.  I think he made a few children cry and I was seriously worried that an old person was going to have a heart attack.  Thankfully, no old people were reported to have had a heart attack, but I can not say that the children were not crying and having nightmares.  

Though, he may have been the entertainment for the crowed (and his co-workers, we couldn't stop laughing), everyone else had some dance moves up their sleeves.  Every so often we would play either Michael Jackson's "Thriller" or a Rocky Horror Picture song.  We had choreographed dances to these that looked pretty alright for non-dancers.  And to put into account that we had to do these dances (meant for stationary stages) on the move was pretty impressive.  

I think I now have a new respect for Halloween.  It was never really my favorite holiday, but being scary looking and scaring people is kind of fun.  

The end of the parade came a lot quicker that I thought.  The two hours flew by! But just because the parade was over does not mean that the party was over.  A bunch of us walked (in costume and make up) to the brewery in Tanunda and hung out a little more.  We had to take advantage of the beautiful day and the tiny, sleepy town of Tanunda being alive! 

Finally done!!