They did it. The Loco marched, danced, walked, twirled, teased, sweated, tossed candy and rubber balls, waved, smiled, and consumed copious amounts of water and electrolyte drinks on Sunday morning.

And the thousands lining both sides of many downtown San Miguel de Allende streets loved every hot and sticky, broiling, joyous moment of the Contvite de Locos.

What an incredible day.

The city estimates that 130,000 people were in San Miguel for the parade, of whom 5,300 were Locos marching in the parade. Only 43 people required medical attention for heat, falling, tripping, or other maladies. Four individuals were arrested during this very family-oriented festivity.

It is worth noting that the city staffed a number of “hydration stations” along the parade route for marchers and watchers.

As always, the frisky mystery abuela led the parade, behind a formidable police escort And backed up by the assembled clergy — after all, the parade is inspired by the Feast of Saint Anthony, patron saint of lost things (keys, your sanity, marriage certificates, kids’ report cards …).

The parade took two hours to pass through the starting point and easily another two before the red-suited street-sweeping crew that took up the rear crossed the finish line.

In between was a hallucinatory lineup of Disney characters, pirates and cowboys, monsters and goblins, jellyfish, killer klowns, luchador wrestlers, abuelos and abuelas, sassy vixens and bedeviling devils, larger-than-life furry creatures, pharaohs and Egyptian gods and goddesses.

And sound trucks cranking the compellingly danceable maxi-decibled music.

The volumes of candy, rubber balls, and little knickknacks being tossed into the crowd fell heavier than any rain we’ve seen in the last month. The crowd knew the routine well. They came with open hats and bags and upturned umbrellas to improve their chances of snagging the loot. The littlest kids scrambled into the streets between the legs of paraders to snatch up errant suckers, hard candies, and mints.

Click on any photo to enlarge.

_____________________________________________________________________

Put more magiIf you enjoyed this post, consider subscribing and passing on e (in the red circle). Feel free to share this post!