WELLS - The town celebrated firemen, police officers and superheroes of all kinds in its annual Old Homes Day Parade on Saturday.
The parade - which had the theme of "A Salute to Our Superheroes" - featured firemen from Wells, Northville and Meco, policemen, and people dressed up as comic book superheroes, including the Hulk and Superman.
However, some Old Homes Day parade enthusiasts said the annual event was more about tradition and showcasing the town's part of the Adirondacks.
Article Photos
Minnie Mouse, left, and Mickey Mouse hold a banner as they lead the Old Home Days Parade in Wells on Saturday.
The Leader-Herald/Bill Trojan
Jennifer Earley and Rick Klatt, of New Jersey, said they come up for the parade every year and visit family.
"We like the small-town aspect of it," Klatt said. "Jennifer's cousin is in the volunteer fire department, so we like to see him walking in the parade."
Earley believes the parade is extremely important for the area, because it brings people to the town and brings the community together.
Klatt said the parade draws in people who otherwise wouldn't stop.
"It brings some vacationers to the town for the day, so it's a good showcasing for the town," Klatt said.
Some people's interests were elsewhere, including Crystal Persch's son, Bradyn, who said he was there because it's fun, he gets candy and can see the fire trucks.
"We asked [Bradyn] if he wanted to be in [the parade] and ride in one of the fire trucks, but he said, 'No.' He did that in the Fourth of July parade in Lake Pleasant and missed out on the candy," Crystal said. "He found out real fast that wasn't the way to go."
Albany native Devin Breen said he has been attending the parade for 20 years.
Breen said he noticed Saturday's parade brought up a lot more people than previous renditions.
"This has built up a lot since it started. People didn't really know about it, and now it kind of has a little buzz," Breen said. "It's one of the most important things for the community. It's kind of a summation of the year and summer."