Red Hatters in Mescalero, New Mexico for July 2, 2016 Parade

July 2, 2016

Members of the New Mexico Roadrunner Chapter of the Red Hat Society of Alamogordo, New Mexico attended the big celebration and parade in Mescalero, Saturday, July 2, 2016. None of us had been to this event before and we were in shock as we arrived to see cars lined up along the highway overflowing the provided parking. We did manage to park near the street where the parade passed by.

The parade was great fun and the girls' and boys' Indian attire was exquisite. The parade theme was all about the children, the future of the Mescalero-Lipan-Chiricahua Apache Tribe. When the parade was over, we drove towards the area where the ceremonial dancing was to take place, but were told they were canceled for that day. However, the rodeo was going on. By this time, we were getting hungry and decided to head back to Tularosa, New Mexico for lunch at  Grill 49. We later heard that a very young medicine man had died the night before and this is why the decision was made not to hold the dancing that day out of respect for him.

We had a lovely lunch and a delightful time visiting with each other. No matter how few or how many, Red Hatters always seem to find the positive in every experience and that's what it is all about anyway.

Vice Queen Donna and new Red Hat transfer from Roswell, New Mexico, Rosanna Heath

L to R: Gail, Jean and Trudy

L to R: Rosanne, Queen Ladybird aka Carla, VQ Donna, Gail, Jean and Trudy (a lady volunteered to take our picture)

Two very beautifully dressed Indian maidens

Two more lovely young ladies. Love their attire.

One of the children's floats

Miss Mescalero - just beautiful

Handsome young braves dancing

Two more lovely Indian girls in fabulous suede ensembles

This is a more usual form of dress for Apache women

Beautiful Folkloric Dancers

A beautiful example of riders and horses

These dancers broke out of formation to come say hello to their parents

Navajo Princess Tenisha Alonzo

Love her yellow suede ensemble

These official drummer-singers kept the beat going

Two lovely girls leading the Inn of the Mountain Gods float

A section of the Inn of the Mountain Gods float

There were a number of really hot cars in the parade (Apache Horsepower)

Miss New Mexico

There was a big break in the parade here and we thought it was over, but later on more floats came through along with Stephanie DuBois' vehicle advertising her candidacy for Otero County Clerk and right behind her was Merrie Lee Soules, running for U.S. Congress from District 51, in her huge RV. We were too far away by that time to even yell hello to them. The people around us were so friendly and it was very pleasant parade watching although warm. However, ever so often there was a little breeze.

This is all I have to say for now.