Branson Trip: Days 3 and 4

We found out about this great parade and festival that was in the town Hollister, just south of Branson. Of course we wanted to be part of the festivities so we made the quick scenic drive down there and got there just as the parade was starting.

Okay, so our hearts really went out to the organizers and participants of this "parade". There were so many flyers and even commercials for this festival (that's how we found out about it). The parade took place in the historic downtown Hollister. Downtown consisted of about a 1/2 mile stretch of antique shopping and bars. The stores looked pretty interesting, and I would have liked to look at a couple but they were all closed. Anyway, the "parade" lasted about 3 min. and consisted of about 4 trucks or tractors pulling trailers down the 1/2 mile stretch of street considered the "parade route". Since the street wasn't blocked off, cars and trucks going both ways were driving right around the little parade like they were passing a bicyclist. Because there was no music, Mike didn't even realize the parade had started and struggled to get the camera out before it passed by.

This guy played his fiddle for Zoe. We sat on the curb and a couple of parade performers tossed candy to us, but apparently smoking is really popular in Hollister because the curb & street were covered in cigarette butts. So Zoe would reach for a piece of candy and go for a cigarette butt instead. It didn't help that pretty much every piece of candy was half opened.

This was nothing compared to any other parade I've been to. Mike said it reminded him of a parade he saw in a small village in Nicaragua....except this was smaller. Still, you could tell the town was really proud of their small parade and festival so we cheered them as loud as we could. It was dubbed the "Little Parade that Could". And the highlight was a couple of small ponies that Zoe was able to pet afterwards!

After the parade, we headed over to the festival which was similar to the parade—about 5 tents set up selling different oddities. This guy was awesome. We have no idea what his display was or why he was there. He just sat there in his chair reading the newspaper under his tent without a care in the world. As we passed by he looked up from his paper then went back to reading.

This guy was cool. He knew so much about wood carving and what not. This was the best booth at the festival.

You can't really read the sign at the top of the bridge, but it says that it was built in 1912 and made of steel. Whoa....I made Mike go first.

This yodeler was AWESOME. I like that Zoe and I are about the only ones in the Yodel Pit.

After the festival we went and got ice cream! Zoe downed this cone like a paper shredder.

Then Zoe and I had a girls only trip to the Butterfly Palace (not sure why Mike didn't want to go...maybe he was too 'dam' 'pooped' out...he went to go do his favorite vacation activity...take a nap).

Butterflies!

Butterfly princess. I love this picture!

Zoe being cute at the Butterfly palace.

Bird bath

Super cute video of Zoe counting the butterflies on a poster we passed by. By the time I got the video going she was on number twenty-one...and she ends with twenty-ten and twenty-eleven.

Zoe stood there staring for about 2 minutes while I was taking pictures of butterflies. After noticing that she hadn't moved in a while I realized that she was staring at ants. Kind of funny.





My little monkey girl is trying to climb up this wall. Also, those are ants that she's wiping off the rock...and then stomping on.

Of course with two different outlet malls and all kinds of other stores in the area, we had to squeeze in some shopping before we left!

Zoe waving to cars and trucks from a restaurant window on the way home..