In Lincoln, Fourth of July will be a special dog day of summer
There's no two ways about it, Lincoln's July Fourth parade is going to the dogs -- cute, furry dogs in party wear, that is.
For the first time in the parade's 60-plus-year history, pooches will parade along Lincoln Road along with all the other marchers and floats. But they won't be celebrating the birth of the nation in their birthday suits. Canine contingent organizer Angela Kadlec has invited anyone interested to perform a little doggie dress-up first.
``I got the idea when my sister-in-law showed me a DVD of the dog parade they do in DeLand , as part of Mardi Gras" in the Florida city, Kadlec said. ``These kinds of parades are really popular, and people do all kinds of crazy stuff with the costumes."
How crazy? ``I saw a picture of a guy online who dressed up like a sailor and carried his dog in a front pack dressed up like a mermaid," she said. ``They sell some of this stuff now. You can buy dog costumes."
Lincoln School PTA president Kathy Clark , whose yellow and brown Labs, Belle and Cooper, will be marching as a bride and groom (Belle's ensemble will be replete with garter, crocheted leash, and tiara), said her dogs seemed happy with their parade duds during a dress rehearsal.
``We tried the costumes on this morning, and they were both fine with it as long as they got treats," she said. Clark also reported that the couple were preparing for their big debut by going for walks and resting on their mats.
But the pup parade does have its serious side. ``This year's theme is `The Spirit of Lincoln Goes Fourth,' and since we're such a rural town, I thought it would be fitting to have animals in the parade," explained Kadlec, who is organizing the parade's Girl Scout contingent as well.
Just how rural a French bulldog in a soccer outfit may be is up for debate. But Kadlec's plans are undeniably infused with hometown spirit, just like the rest of this homespun parade. The entire lineup -- the Fifes and Drums of the Lincoln Minute Men, antique cars, fire engines, veterans' floats -- comes courtesy of volunteers.
``This is a real small-town affair," said Nancy Pimental, the Lincoln Celebration Committee chairwoman . In fact, the committee doesn't even hold a formal registration for the parade.
``I'm just as surprised as everyone else each year to see who shows up," Pimental said. ``They just gather at the school, and we send a volunteer with a megaphone to keep things organized."
Regulars do tend to return, though, including the Nays. The oldies band has been belting out favorites from Elvis and the Beatles from the back of a flatbed tow truck in the parade since they formed the band as Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High students back in 1979 -- yes, 1979. ``We joke that if it weren't for the band, we wouldn't still be friends," said bass player Rick Holland.
DENISE TAYLOR 
