Carmel Lifestyle, Community Events

Carmel’s Favorite Ex-Mayor Rides Again! ~ Carmel-by-the-Sea Centennial Parade

Clint Eastwood getting ready to be in Carmel's Centennial parade.
Clint Eastwood getting ready to be in Carmel’s Centennial parade.

Clint Eastwood is everyone’s favorite mayor of Carmel – no offense to our current mayor, but hey, he’s Clint!  When Clint was elected mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea in 1986, he put Carmel on the national map – for those who already didn’t know about our charming village that just turned 100 years old yesterday!

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So who else would Carmel invite to be the Grand Marshal of the Carmel Centennial parade.  Well, Clint of course!

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The whole town turned out to take part in this fabulous community event.  There were amazing floats, marching bands, school groups, the girl scouts, theater groups, musicians, dancers, and dignitaries.

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Clint Eastwood getting ready to lead the parade on the Wells Fargo stagecoach.

Here’s Clint in the staging area ready to lead the parade!    The Sunset Center, our center of performing arts, offered this lovely float.

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The Sunset Center’s fabulous float

Carmel Plaza is Carmel-by-the-Sea’s only shopping center featuring many restaurants and boutiques. You can also find the Carmel Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center there with answers to all your Carmel questions.  They proudly entered this lovely float below.

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Carmel Plaza with its amazing entry

The most fun was to see all of the community organizations turned out in their 1916 best!  Since I was in the parade, these photos are of everyone getting organized in the parade staging area.

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The Ambassadors of the Carmel Chamber of Commerce representing the business women and men of 1916! What fun we had dressing up!
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The Carmel Women’s Club as Suffragettes
The Red Cross of 1916
The Red Cross of 1916 as depicted by a community organization

I  loved watching these very well organized and adorable kids from the Carmel River Elementary School.

Carmel River School
Carmel River School

North Monterey County High School sent a fabulous marching band.

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North Monterey County High School band

It is quite an amazing thing to be in a parade and quite a thrill.  Usually I am watching on the sidelines like these folks.

The crowd waited with anticipation
The crowd waited with anticipation

I’m not sure who had more fun those marching . . .

The Carmel Chamber of Commerce ambassadors rounding the turn-around at Monte Verde and Ocean
The Carmel Chamber of Commerce ambassadors rounding the turn-around at Monte Verde and Ocean

or those watching.  In any case, it was a fun-filled day.

Let’s not forget that Carmel was settled by artists, poets, actors, and bohemians so they were also well represented.

The Forest Theater float
The Forest Theater float
The Wizard of Oz cast with a young understudy of Dorothy
The Wizard of Oz cast with a young understudy for Dorothy
Shakespeare in the park played by Phyllis Davis and her husband.
Shakespeare in the park played by Phyllis Davis and her husband.

Those of us in the parade got a kick out of comparing our costumes.

L-Susan Clark, Cammie Jones, Whiz Lindsey
L-Susan Clark, Cammie Jones, Whiz Lindsey

The parade ended with a lovely lunch at the Sunset Center and then cake (in the shape of our office) at our Alain Pinel Realtors office on Junipero between 5th & 6th.

Cake baked by a chef from Cake Wars
Cake baked by a chef from Cake Wars

I hope everyone enjoyed this fun day!  If you weren’t able to be there, I hope these photos will give you a little taste.

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Susan Clark ~ Carmel Realtor from 1916 in front of Alain Pinel Realtors

After being in real estate for many years, I find every client has their own story,.  So whether you’re living in 1916 . . . or 2016, let’s find YOUR happy ending!

Susan Clark, Realtor 831-320-6801
Susan Clark, Realtor Call me.   831-320-6801