850 years!

This year marks the 850th year that the town we live in, St. Leon, has been in existance. Yes, 850...that is NOT a typo! That means that the town we are living in is 619 years older than our country! It is hard to even get my head around that. There was a street fest all weekend long, and on Sunday afternoon was the big event, the historical parade. The first entries in the parade were honored guests who were either walking or riding in coaches.
















After all the dignitaries rode past we were treated to a trip through time beginning with the Stone age.
Once all the cavemen and women (and kids) went by we moved into Roman times with soldiers and others wearing tunics and other Roman garb, isn't this little one a cutie??






The next event in the history of St. Leon was when the Bishop of Speyer turned over the land (I'm not sure to whom, it is hard to translate the history). They had a float depicting this.



This was followed by several different walking groups showing traditional clothing from the 15th and 16th century. Mostly women who are going to the markets.



There were a few different bands with colorful uniforms and flags interspersed throughout the parade. I loved watching them twirl them around with one hand above and around their heads. I am sure their arms must have been VERY tired!













Our friends the Nichol's family lives right on the parade route so they invited us to watch the parade from their home. Their son Jack shared a window with me.


The next people in the parade were the children who attend the town Kindergarden. Their banner said they were celebrating the 125th anniversary of the school. The kids were so cute carrying their brightly decorated pretzel sticks and some on their bikes.






Following the cute little kids was a group of people dressed up in the clothing and wigs from the Baroque age. I bet they were glad to return to our time at the end of the parade and get out of those hot costumes!

















The next group was a lively bunch of men who were depicting some of the events in the Peasant's war. They carried rifles and shouted "Revolution!!!" as they went by.


The next part of the parade that I have pictures of was a tractor pulling a wagon with a mock asparagus (or spargel as it is called here) field. Our next door neighbor until last year was a spargel farmer and he was driving the tractor. Hallo Herr Gromlisch!!!



Following this was a lot of old tractors and machinery showing the beginnings of the age of Industry. I love looking at all the old farm stuff.





The next group of people in the parade were the construction workers who built the New Catholic Church. The outfits these men are wearing are still often worn today, usually by young people who are doing their apprentice work and travel around the country looking for places to learn their trade.






The builders were followed by a group of men who were depicting some of the last ones to return home from the War and also some women who I assume represented wives looking for their lost husbands.





The last entries in the parade were showing what kinds of clubs and activities you can be a part of in St. Leon today. There were soccer and volleyball clubs, other sports clubs, a dog club, horseback riding club....many many different ways to join in with people who like the same things you do. I thought the whole thing was very exciting, it was fun to see everyone dressed up waving their little flags. The people along the parade route decorated the front of their houses with tree branches and flags and bunting and streamers too. And look....even Colin got into it...that's him with 2 flags stuck in his hat! (and shhh....there is Bill with HIS camera too!)