By: Carla Eilo
With Independence Day right around the corner, you can’t help but get excited for parades, fireworks, and all the fanfare associated with the holiday. There have been no shortages of parades in Lake Placid’s past. There have been parades for the 4th of July, Memorial Day, Winter Carnival, Halloween, musical acts and circuses visiting town…and the list could go on.
Because of this, parades were even critiqued with the highest standards in mind. In the July 25, 1919 edition of the Lake Placid News, there was a comical review of a “parade,” or more aptly named, “A Procession.”
“One may read about the glaring bands, the spangled equestrian and equestrienne, the throngs of clowns and fun-makers, and everything else that has to do with a circus parade and then wonder why such an exhibition as was staged on Main Street yesterday is called a parade.
It was certainly the poorest imitation of a parade ever staged in this village. A crowd of children, in fun, have put up a better and more interesting spectacle without effort. And then, it was the “Best one-ring circus in the world” according to a sign on one of the wagons. What must the other one-ring affairs be? Without the two clowns the parade would not even have been noticed. To the credit of these two men, it must be said that under the circumstances, they could not have been more amusing.”
Unfortunately for the circus parade, just three weeks earlier Lake Placid hosted one of the largest parades in history, a 2-day event celebrating Independence Day and the “Essex County Welcoming Home Celebration” for the troops. With the end of the First World War in 1918 and troops returning home, the town had a reason to celebrate and rose to the occasion.
The advertisements boasted of the “Biggest Street Parade of bands, floats and organizations, ever seen in the Adirondacks,” with the attendance of 1,200 World War Veterans. The first day opened with a speech by Congressman Bertrand Snell of Potsdam. Participants and viewers could have watched baseball games, swimming competitions, running and canoe races. They closed out the first day of festivities with 2 grand balls, one at the Grand View Hotel and the other at Town Hall.
The second day, July the 4th, started with the parade! First prize for best float went to one that portrayed Samuel de Champlain’s boat crossing the waters of Lake Champlain, with men dressed in period costume of the early 1600s. Second place went to the Town of North Elba. Designed by William Pratt from
Second Prize winner of 4th of July Parade, 1919 – The gravesite of John Brown, designed by William Pratt of Newman.
– Mary MacKenzie Files
Newman, the float depicted the gravesite of John Brown.
The remainder of the day was filled with music, baseball games, and guest speakers. Other events included exhibitions of aeronautic flights and stunts. The highlight of the 2-day event was a Venetian Carnival, festival of lanterns. In the weeks leading up to the event, coordinators reached out through newspaper articles asking for participants to join in the Carnival with their own lanterns and lights from 9-10:30 pm.
The coordinators envisioned small bonfires next to piers on Mirror Lake. Those who had businesses and windows that overlooked the lake were encouraged to light their windows. The organizers requested lantern lit boats and rafts, of all shapes and sizes to join-in the nighttime extravaganza.
The evening commenced with 100 Japanese lanterns and 1000 pounds of colored lights being lit on Mirror Lake. Two renowned diving champions, Helen Wainwright and Josephine Bartlett dove into Mirror Lake to open the Carnival. The parade of boats circled Mirror Lake as the Lake Placid Band played and fireworks lit up the night sky. A Grand Ball and Reception at the Grand View Hotel followed the Carnival. What a welcome home for the troops!