Ms. Senior Mesquite First Runner Up, Colleen Nielson and Second Runner Up/City Council Candidate, Sandra Ramaker had a chance to chat with Mesquite Days Parade Grand Marshall Ann Rice and her associate Jim Wilson during the Mayor’s Pancake Breakfast which was held on Saturday, May 5 just prior to the parade. Photo by Teri Nehrenz

The Mayor’s Pancake Breakfast and Mesquite Days Parade, both part of the annual Mesquite Days Celebrations held on Saturday, May 5, were as successful as ever with most of those left in town showing up for the events including the Ms. Senior Mesquite Queen and her court and of course, the Mayor.

The breakfast began early and there was no lack of hungry bellies needing to be fed which volunteers were ready, willing and able to do. Two grillers cooked up the sausages and flap jacks while another scrambled dozens of eggs which were quickly grabbed up by the famished crowd.

Mayor Allan Litman and his wife Phyllis have fun cutting up, being silly and maybe doing a little free advertising for Mesquite Ford during the Mesquite Days Parade held Wednesday, May 5; the convertible is for sale as you can clearly see by the not so modest price tag. Photo by Teri Nehrenz

Seats in the pavilion were taken up by crowds of friends and neighbors talking, laughing and having a great time meeting new friends and fellow community members.

The breakfast ended and bellies were filled just in time for many who attended the breakfast such as the Grand Marshall Ann Rice, the Mayor and Ms. Senior Mesquite Queen and her court members to get lined up for their spots in the parade; some even had more than one spot like Sandra Ramaker who appeared in a Mustang Convertible with the Ms. Senior Mesquite Pageant members at the beginning of the parade and later in a classic car advertising her City Council Candidacy.

The Parade Grand Marshall, Ann Rice, attended the breakfast which gave people who didn’t already know her the chance to see just what an incredible woman she is. Rice commented, “Being raised in the south, I’ve always thought that the greatest compliment bestowed on a woman was to be called a “True Southern Lady” but since moving and living here in Nevada, I know that the greatest compliment to be bestowed on a South Westerner is to be named the Grand Marshall in the Mesquite Days Parade.” Many residents  who attended the breakfast were able to discover that Rice is worthy of being called both.

The parade was better than ever with a record number of participants and even a Mariachi Band and a team of horses pulling up the rear. Photo by Teri Nehrenz

The parade was better than ever with a record number of participants and even a Mariachi Band and a team of horses at the end. The parade is organized each year by Beth Caplinger who at one time organized many parades for an event that took place in Ohio; she also had a huge hand in organizing Mesquite Days Old Fashioned Family Fun Night.

You can view a slide show of the entire Mesquite Days Celebration from Family Fun Night to the Parade here: https://youtu.be/eCQX0Co8OJg