Back to the gypsy that I was

A couple weekends ago (yes, I'm a bit behind), Northern State University held their homecoming festivities culminating in 95th Annual Gypsy Day on Saturday, September 18.  NSU's homecoming originated as a single-day event  back on November 18, 1916.  Three individual convinced the NSU President and Aberdeen businessmen that turning the campus into "one big Gypsy camp" for the homecoming game with Madison Normal would be a great way to promote the college and community. Thus, Gypsy Day was born!

This year's theme was "Fifties Fever."  I attended the Gypsy Day parade, which I expected to be much like the St. Patrick's Day Parade in O'Neill, but I was a little off.  There was the expected marching bands, farm machinery, fire engines, and of course, political candidates, but the sheer amount of parade entries was incredible!!  There were many marching bands, lots of floats from different companies (including ours!), and some pretty different entries as well.  Here a few photos from the day!  The weather was gorgeous and the bright blue sky provided a fantastic back drop for the morning!

The Avera St. Luke's float, complete with "Lukey" the Lion!

One of the many marching bands.  Made me miss color guard!! 

The Twist Cone's float, I think the Fifties theme came pretty easily to them! 

Firemen, playing bagpipes, wearing kilts....enough said.  

Like I said, farm machinery (don't worry, there were John Deeres as well!) 

I got the biggest kick out of this little girl who was having a great time waving in her costume, but of course the adults had to make sure she wasn't going tumble off!!