Chasing bananas
Although I mainly go to Guttenberg, Iowa to spend time with my family and friends, one of the things I love about that area is the community. My family has homes on Esmann Island*, which is a mix of people who live there year-round (like my grandma) and people who stay in their homes seasonally (like my parents).
Since so many people have “vacation” homes there, the island really has a “vacation” vibe to it. Nearly everyone you pass is smiling and waving. People are chatting and happy (and happy to help you out!). The pace is slow, slow, slow. No one’s in a hurry, and don’t you dare go over the 15 mph speed limit. Everyone is there to have fun and enjoy life.
And it shows.
My grandma is always telling me about these fun events that go on on the island – golf cart poker**, the bloody marathon contest, golf cart parades… and who knows what other shenanigans.
I had heard so many stories about the golf cart parade but never witnessed it myself. So when Rachel and I were visiting two weekends ago, and I saw a sign that the parade would be happening Labor Day weekend, I was stoked! I thought it would be so fun for Luca to watch!
Wait. What would be more fun than watching the parade? Being in it!
Muah ha ha. Gotta get use out of those Halloween costumes.
It didn’t take much convincing to get people to wear the banana costumes. The gorilla… was another story. So I ended up wearing it. Which was fine, when the golf carts were moving and there was a breeze! But this parade has a lot of stopping. Stopping to give parade watchers drinks, and to get drinks from people on the course. Man, these people know how to have fun.
And man, gorilla costumes really heat up in the sun when you stop! Ha. Ha ha.
What a fun morning. We decided to play the banana boat song on repeat as we drove through (the course was a few miles that took about an hour). Mom decorated the golf carts with balloon bananas and palm trees. Gina, Steve and Luca teased me from the back of their golf cart with a real banana. Steven drove. Mom and Gina handed out candy. We were cracking up and making other people laugh too.
But what gets me is how in to it the other paraders got. I thought we were being crazy wearing costumes. I think our golf carts were the most tame!
And the show stopper, and winner of “best float” was the “Esmann Bacon Station.” Ha ha. They were handing out freshly cooked bacon and had some sort of bacon drink, too.
Like I said, an amazing, fun community. You have to try hard not to have a good time when you are there!
(I snagged a few of these photos from the island Facebook page – check out the rest of the photos here)
*I had never looked up the island history until I was writing this – interesting!
**Get a different card (and have a different drink) at each house you visit via golf cart.
Themocracy
Oh my gosh, that looks so fun!
You had me at bacon station!
I can’t believe you wore the gorilla costume. OMG. You are awesome. And so is that Mystery Machine golf cart!
Ha ha. Thanks 🙂 I was super impressed by the Mystery Machine and Mutts Cutts! They really put some work in to it!
OMG hilarious! I experienced my first golf cart parade over 4th of July weekend in NC. Fun!
This looks like the most absurd, most amazing thing ever. I love it when people go all out for something ridiculous like this. It makes it SO much fun!
Looks like such a fun and laidback atmosphere! I love all the banana costumes and the banana song makes me smile. =) I might have to put that onto my music player to listen to while I am running!!! It’ll put me into a nice, tropical state of mind!
Wow! What a fun event – sounds like a great place!
I love your float theme! Awesome decorations and costumes. I can’t even imagine how hot it would have been inside that costume–kudos to you for sticking that out. When I was in grad school the marine station I did my research at did a golf cart parade. As part of the group that did deep-sea research, we made our cart into an angler fish, complete with a battery-operated light up lure. It was epic.
Aww, cool! Please tell me there are photos of that?!??!
Heck yes, there are! 🙂
Very cool!! Maybe you could host a costumed “Banana 5k” to start the day before the parade? 🙂
that looks awesome
Ha, okay, NOW I understand the gorilla suit and golf cart reference. Geez, I bet it was like a sauna in there!!!
Esmann island seems so cool! I had no idea it existed! How neat that your grandma lives there year-round. I bet it gets pretty cold in the winter, right?
It was. I would take the mask off to breathe when we stopped, but then it would warm up from facing upright in to the sun! Ha ha.
Yeah, typical Iowa winter 🙂
Small towns can be great for stuff like this! Love the golf cart parade and your costumes!!!
Oh my goodnesss! So much fun!!
This looks like so much freaking fun!