2006-05-06

### May Fete Parade [![Icon-Permalink.png](/Icon-Permalink.png)](#)

[![/space/clown.jpg](/space/clown.jpg)](http://www.cityofpaloalto.org/entertainment/mayfete.html)[![/space/band.jpg](/space/band.jpg)](http://www.cityofpaloalto.org/entertainment/mayfete.html)[![/space/balloons_street.jpg](/space/balloons_street.jpg)](http://www.cityofpaloalto.org/entertainment/mayfete.html)

I woke up this morning to the sound of a fire truck driving by my window, siren
blaring. This wouldn't be unusual, normally...except that this fire truck was
going 5 mph, at most. It was followed by a line of floats, a troupe of baton
twirlers, and a big white Oldsmobile convertible stuffed with Palo Alto city
council members.

Cheering families lined the sidewalks. Down the street, I could hear a high
school band playing [All Right
Now](http://www.stanford.edu/group/lsjumb/arn.html), fading away. From the other
direction, I could hear another band on its way, playing, inexplicably,
[Prince](http://www.80smusiclyrics.com/artists/prince.htm).

I'd totally forgotten about the [May Fete
Parade](http://www.cityofpaloalto.org/entertainment/mayfete.html). It's
basically a May Day celebration, if a little late. They've been doing it
since 1922. Very cool.

It may not be the city, but still, yet another reminder of how fun it is to live
on [University
Ave](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=488+university+ave,+palo+alto+ca&om=1)...