Short and Sweet

SPIRIT LAKE — The biggest cheer at Spirit Lake’s Labor Day parade might have come before it even started.

The celebration was held up a few minutes because of a dead car battery in the lead vehicle carrying a guest of honor, Don Bidwell, enjoying his 105th birthday.

When it finally turned over, anxious organizers and parade entrants clapped.

“We’re ready,” a man shouted.

This North Idaho town’s Labor Day parade credits itself as being the world’s shortest parade. On a sunny Sunday morning, it lived up to that billing.

The procession lasted maybe five minutes as a handful of entries covered the two-block route up Maine Street, then Fourth to City Park, where a car show, corn and games awaited.

Still, the crowd of about 100 kids and adults soaked all 300 seconds of it in.

“I thought it was fun,” said Anita Zaagsma, who rode over from Newman Lake, Wash., with Jeff Schroeder on their Harley-Davidsons after reading about the parade on Facebook. “It’s cute.”

Schroeder agreed.

“We’ll be back,” he said.

The parade consisted mostly of people on ATVs, a few convertibles, a stretch limousine, a small logging truck and motorized scooters. Aloha shirts and leis added color as some came dressed in a Hawaiian theme.

There was no shortage of candy as nearly every entry tossed treats to delighted children.

Tim and Terrie Hauck carried the colors as they led off the traditional event, usually held Labor Day but switched to Sunday this year.

“He’s here because he was ordered by his first sergeant,“ a smiling Terrie Hauck said of her husband.

“My wife,” Tim Hauck answered with a laugh.

A grinning Janice John, wearing a red aloha shirt, cruised along in her scooter, waving to the crowd.

“Feeling great,” she said. “It’s so beautiful today."

Eric and Julie Geissler of Athol came to the parade with their puppies, Bella, a redtick coonhound, and Toby, an Australian shepherd.

“It’s so good we brought our children,” Eric Geissler joked.

Even after the parade and most onlookers had wandered away, the Geisslers stuck around. They moved to North Idaho from Virginia a few years ago and this was their second time at the Spirit Lake Labor Day parade.

Short or not, it was fun.

“The kids have a blast,” Julie said.

“That’s the thing,” Eric added.

Don Bidwell was feeling just “pretty good” as he waited patiently for the parade to start.

“I fell the other night,” he said. “It kind of messed things up, but I’m going to be all right.”

Bidwell recently moved to the area from California to live with his son, Ron Bidwell.

The University of Southern California graduate wore a USC camp as he waved and smiled at the crowd once the convertible he was in started up and got rolling.

He likes his new hometown.

“People are nice,” he said.

Bidwell credits his longevity to a healthy and active lifestyle. He served in the Army Air Corps in World War II, was a manager for Sears, Roebuck for three decades and worked with horses.

"It’s been a good life," he said.

“I’m fortunate that way,” Bidwell said.

His son Ron was pleased to have his father in the spotlight.

“It’s very cool we have the opportunity to do this,” he said.

His father, he said, has “lightened up” a bit as the years have passed.

“He understands my sarcasm where before he used to just shake his head and go, ‘What is he talking about?’” Ron Bidwell said as he walked the parade route.