Roanoke's Celebration of Diversity: Local Colors

Hey! Did you know there are PEOPLE in those dragon thingys?

Rakan Al Kethreiry of Saudi Arabia was all smiles.

Pearlie Mae Fu remains the Queen of Local Colors.

Mary Rizig of South Sudan.

South Koreans nearly stole the show with their showmanship and color.

These lovelies are from the Phillippines.

My grandgirl Maddie the Viking Princess with one of her Viking homies.

Roman centurion was very serious.

An exquisite young Korean woman and her dad.

Buddies Maggie, Pearlie Mae and Maddie, my grandgirl.

Amy Rallos of the Phillippines photographs her troupe.

This little sweetie carried her country's banner.

Jeffrey Rigdon and the rowdy Vikings pulling/pushing Pearl Fu's rikshaw at the front of the parade.

Japanese Akemi Fuwa and daughter Saya.

Young woman carries the flag of Bangladesh.

A young Peruvian in full colors.

The Peruvian girl above and some of her friends.

Young Eva Loos of India.

Aklilu Grant of Ethopia.

Kicking off the parade with the local colors of Local Colors.

Tents along Jefferson Street held the good food of the nations.

The baret is obligatory when it comes to France.

Bimini never looked so Irish.

The flag is Brazil, the costume isn't.

Heading for Downing Street.

Sierra Leone and South Sudan, side-by-side.

The parasols add a sweet touch.

These young Philippinos performed a dance after the parade.

Japanese mother-daughter.

Koreans marching up the hill. The tassels on their hats played their own tune.

Norway's flag flies big and small.

The 22nd edition of Pearl Fu's spectacular Roanoke celebration of its international diversity, Local Colors, went off under overcast skies and bright smiles today in downtown Roanoke. I can't confirm it, but it appeared the number of nations represented this year was down from the well over 100 of last year, but the parade was not unusually long because of the presence of organizations whose participation was a mystery to me (scouts, environmental organizations and the like).

In any case, in the city of parades, this one is special and the colors alone are enough to satisfy the most hardened parade veteran. T'was a lovely day.