Haymarket Day draws large crowds

A 10-foot-tall man on stilts, a panda bear, and even Santa Claus walked down Washington Street in Haymarket Saturday afternoon, all in celebration of the Haymarket Day parade.

Area residents lined up along the over half mile-long route at 9:30 a.m. to see fun parade floats from local businesses, politicians, schools and a group of unicyclists, among others.

Nearby Battlefield High School had football players and cheerleaders march down Haymarket’s main street.

A group within the Battlefield Bobcat crew swooped colorful purple flags side to side in formation as they passed onlookers.

The Fireside Church of Gainesville drove by with a full-sized band playing live music on the back of a specially-modified 18-wheeler.

Many people on the parade floats waved at the crowd, while some costumed company mascots in attendance high-fived small children.

An octopus on the display of a Gainesville dentist’s truck urged residents to brush and floss daily.

A throng of Fairfax County police officers, on motorcycles, zoomed past spectators and zigzagged amongst themselves at top speed as part of a special display.

Gainesville resident Marcus Berry was pleasantly surprised to see the motorcade perform.

“I’ve not seen anything like that before,” Berry said.  “[Their maneuvers] added a little spice to the parade.”

World War II army veteran Johnny Rettman, a lifelong Gainesville resident, and his wife Christine Rettman, have been going to Haymarket Day for as long as they can remember.

They said the day of fun was a great place to catch up with old friends.

“It brings back a lot of memories from the old days,” Johnny Rettman said.

But what surprises Christine Rettman is how the parade has grown in the past 15 to 20 years.

“This used to be a little country parade, but it is no more [that],” Christine Rettman said.

Local business owners praised the event, which drew large crowds.

“The parade makes people aware that we are here,” said Judy Jones, co-owner of the Needles in the Haymarket shop.

Jones’ said that her craft business, which is located along the parade route at 15125 Washington St., was in a prime spot for increased business Saturday.

“The more people who come by, the better off we are,” she said.

Others traveled great distances to sell their goods at kiosks along the parade route.

Thomas Aquaro, of Arc Angels Creations, drove over 70 miles from Louisa to sell scenic pictures to the crowd.

Aquaro believed the parade was a great way to get people into nice towns that they otherwise might drive through and miss.

“This kinda gets people in the back door of the town,” Aquaro said.

Children had fun, too—many of the parade participants threw candy while they passed the crowds.

Staff writer David Pierce can be reached at 703-530-3905.