On Saturday, Bisbee will experience what is hoped to be a new annual event, designed to bring back the weirdness factor to our beloved town. Dubbed The Great Inflate Parade, participants are encouraged to wear some kind of inflatable costume; they will gather at the Iron Man and float (er, walk) all the way to Brewery Gulch.
The idea of the parade was the brainchild of Renee Harper, local eccentric best known for creating the Old Bisbee Ghost Tour, now in its 19th year. Her reason? To bring back some of the “fun funkiness” of Bisbee she loved.
“When I first moved here, there were circus kids hanging out on my corner and it was just really cool and eclectic, and it’s still cool and eclectic, but not as much as it used to be,” she explained. Harper also wanted to have an event that’s completely free in which anyone could participate. “This will be really great for the community,” Renee added.
To help with logistics and motivation, she tapped her friend Kelly Owen to be a co-sponsor.
So what kind of costume is eligible for The Great Inflate Parade? “I guess the rule is it has to be inflated in some way,” she said. “It’s going to be really neat to see everybody’s creativity.”
As to why January was chosen, one of our coldest months and one not particularly filled with outdoor events, Renee explains this was intentional.
“One of my pet peeves is when there are events in Bisbee and they are held on holiday weekends. People are going to be here on the holidays anyways, so we wanted to do an event in the off season to attract people here when we need them.”
If you would like to be in the Great Inflate Parade, Renee asks that you be in your costume at the Iron Man statue at 4:30pm on Saturday, January 24.
Renee also added that her 1965 turquoise convertible Dodge Dart will be in the parade. “Those with mobility issues can sit in the car and participate.” There will be a police escort (Arizona Rangers), temporarily blocking traffic.
For spectators, the parade will begin moving down Tombstone Canyon/Main Street at 5pm, eventually ending in Brewery Gulch.
“I just thought it would be really funny to invade the Gulch and all the bars with people in inflatable costumes, and it’s a fun image in my head.”
Harper’s costume is an inflatable mermaid in a bathtub; a friend is going to be a witch riding an inflatable dragon; another friend has a french fry float made for pools and is going to incorporate it into a costume. Although she is unsure how many people will be participating, she’s heard rumors that some businesses are encouraging their employees to dress up and join.
“The sky’s the limit,” she added.