'Mamas' deliver Easter gift
Mikki Stevens leads The Red Hot Mamas flash parade on Friday at Riverstone.
BILL BULEY/Press
The Red Hot Mamas take a break from their parade Friday. From left, Millie Gardner, Julie Hartley, Vickie Moeller, Mikki Stevens (center) Shelli Findley, Allison Sharp, Verna Lee Curry
The Red Hot Mamas parade past the grizzly bear statue at Riverstone Park on Friday.
Families watch The Red Hot Mamas as they pass by during their parade at Riverstone Park on Friday.
COEUR d’ALENE — The Red Hot Mamas danced in their Sunday best to fun, upbeat songs on Good Friday. They smiled, they waved, they shouted “Happy Easter.” Their goal was simple: Make people happy.
They did that.
“It puts us in the mood to celebrate Easter,” said Tim Neary as he watched the festive group prance past at Riverstone Park on a 63-degree afternoon.
In what was a flash parade, about 10 Mamas wore pink, orange, red, yellow and blue dresses and hats, sunglasses, and carried colorful baskets and purses as they stepped, swirled and swayed their way around the pond, all the while offering happy greetings to folks nearby. That included those sitting outside a restaurant, construction workers busy with a building project, and families enjoying the sunny spring day.
While not an official parade, and a short one based on the number of participants, it still drew an audience.
“I’m glad we got to see this,” said Patti Jensen as the ladies twirled around the playground area, where kids stopped playing and ran to wave back. “What a nice surprise.
Mikki Stevens, director of the group known for its musical comedy act in parades, led the way wearing a green and pink outfit as they deftly danced to “Here comes Peter Cottontail.”
They wore masks and maintained social distance.
“Today, we want to bring some smiles and joy to people,” she said. “Little kids are laughing and the older people love the music. It’s fun. It’s joy.”
Since the coronavirus closed down most public activities, the Mamas have still managed to perform song and dance routines while maintaining safety protocol. The outgoing women performed earlier at Garden Plaza in Post Falls.
Verna Lee Curry, an Easter basket filled with bunnies resting on her head and wearing a pink scarf, was having a ball bringing up the rear of the parade. She was feeling “full of joy and full of hope” about Easter and wanted to share that with everyone.
“It’s bringing the joy to each other and the smiles you see,” she said.
Her colleague, Allison Sharp, wearing a red and white dress and white shoes and gloves, was relieved to be out having fun two days before Easter.
“It’s been a long year and then some,” she said. “I’m ready to go out and have a good time with these wonderful ladies.”
