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52 °F Forecast | Road Cams Saturday, September 18, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Rogue Valley's Finest EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend August 29, 2004 Shady Cove�s SPAM queen Charlotte Boehm waves to the crowd during the annual SPAM parade down Highway 62 Saturday. She�s followed by Her Majesty�s Mosquito Court on ATVs. Mail Tribune / Roy Musitelli This ain’t no baloney Shady Cove’s annual SPAM parade proves far spicier than a meat-and-potatoes event By MEG LANDERS Mail Tribune If you were having trouble renting a grass skirt or plastic lei this weekend, there’s a reason: They were all being worn in the SPAM parade. For the fifth year, Shady Cove’s peculiar parade made its way down Highway 62 Saturday morning. This year’s theme was "The Big Kahuna," in honor of SPAM’s recent limited edition can featuring a picture of a hula doll in a grass skirt. A man dressed as a can of SPAM led the way as a hula-hooping clown cartwheeled down the highway. Uncle SPAM handed out suckers, and Carlotta’s Catering gave out free doughnuts. Superhero teens, "The SPAM Avengers," said they were "Saving lives one can at a time." The Eagle Point Marching Band played "Smoke on the Water" while the color guard twirled flags and called out the lunchmeat’s name. SPAM queen (and parade founder) Charlotte Boehm waved to the crowds, followed by Her Majesty’s Mosquito Court on ATVs. Judges wearing SPAM T-shirts and SPAM sunglasses judged entries based on creativity, originality, parade theme and SPAM orientation. A float featuring SpongeBob SquarePants garnered the $1,000 grand prize. Advertisement Spectators in lawn chairs lined both sides of the highway, and dozens of vendors coming from as far as Canada sold goods on the east side. The procession traveled from Cleveland Street to Chaparral Drive. The Shady Cove SPAM Festival had its debut in 1999. After a one-year hiatus, it returned as the SPAM parade. Responding to complaints from drivers who were delayed during last year’s parade, the Oregon Department of Transportation kept one lane of traffic open. It’s the price this town of 2,500 must pay for having a highway as its main street. "The first year they closed off the highway, but they found they had so many irate drivers," said Shady Cove resident and spectator Jere Plumer, donning a SPAM hat. Kim Bricker, watching with her 185-pound Irish wolfhound Daisy, said she’s not a big SPAM eater but finds the SPAM parade and SPAM bakeoff afterward "hysterical." Elise Smurzynski, city administrator when she’s not riding an ATV in Mosquito Court, said the quirky annual event has received national and even international attention. "There are people in France who know about the SPAM parade," she said. The parade was followed a beer and margarita garden, SPAM Jam, a hula hoop contest, live music by Jason Johnston and a SPAM cook-off featuring the square, canned spiced ham that debuted in 1937. Even Scooters restaurant was serving SPAM pizza. Laura Harms, parade organizer, said she thought the parade was a huge success. "I think it was the best one ever because it was ‘The Big Kahuna,’" she said. Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 or e-mail [email protected] . Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities