On Sunday March 27 members of our club participated in Union Street's 25th Annual Easter Parade and Celebration. Following the leadership of Ralph Hoffschildt and his wife Rita in their lovely 1930 Roadster, Walter and his Mustang full of gentlemen, each wearing a lovely Easter bonnet, made their way along Union Street past a surprisingly huge throng of spectators. Several thousand families, mothers, fathers, grandparents, multitudes of children, and assorted others lined the parade route from Laguna Street to Fillmore Street.

The celebration organizers assembled a fantastic assortment of activities, food booths, and commercial vendors positioned all along the parade route for the enjoyment of the thousands of people who were drawn to Union Street and the Easter Sunday festivities. There were a number of varied amusements for the children and an Easter Bonnet garden surrounded with a white picket fence and green grass where you could be photographed wearing any number of unique Easter Bonnets. Prior to the 2 pm start of the parade we strolled past a wide range of food booths, each emitting the most wonderful and distinct aromas of regional and ethnic cuisine. And of course, we stopped more than once to sample the edibles.

If you were concerned that San Francisco was losing its ability to retain families, the Union Street Parade and Celebration will show you otherwise - young families are alive and well in San Francisco, and gathering together on Easter Sunday for a joyous outdoor experience with their fellow San Franciscans, dressing up, wearing silly hats, playing, snacking, and parade watching.

If you missed the fun this year, then remember to mark your calendar, and join us again next year on Union Street on Easter Sunday, April 16, 2017. Hopefully we will see you there.