Gerald Pendergraft, 13 at the time, rode his decorated bicycle in the very first Cherry Carnival parade in 1949. The photo he brought in to show us had been hand coloured, as was often done with black and white photos in those days. (Courtesy of Gerald Pendergraft)
A photo in last week’s The Way We Were led long-time Osoyoos resident Gerald Pendergraft to remember riding his decorated bicycle in the first Cherry Carnival parade in 1949.
Pendergraft, then 13, was probably one of the kids in the photo below. He brought in a hand-coloured photo of him with his decorated bike.
He recalls going in many Cherry Carnival parades as a kid, often on horseback and once even on a burro, dressed as a clown.
“You always felt like a million dollars,” he said. “Everyone was looking at you.”
To share your memories of Osoyoos, contact Editor Richard McGuire at 250-495-7225.
RICHARD McGUIRE
Osoyoos Times
Children on tricycles and bicycles and in prams proceed down Main Street during the 1949 Cherry Carnival parade. Gerald Pendergraft is probably in the group with bicycles in front of the kids on tricycles at the back. (Osoyoos and District Museum and Archives)
