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Guavaween parade expected to be weird and wacky as ever

Staff photo by JAY NOLAN

Fans of participating bands and countless college students will march as zombies and vampires in this year's Mama Guava Stumble.

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By GEORGE WILKENS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 30, 2009

TAMPA - There will be no drinking and driving during this year's Mama Guava Stumble, the outlandish parade at the alcohol-induced street party dubbed Guavaween.

Make no mistake, however -- only the drivers will be absent for Saturday's parade, not the drinkers.

The recent decision to ban floats and other motorized units from the weird and wacky procession has nothing to do with virtuous behavior and everything to do with the scariest monster of modern times -- the sagging economy.

As a cost-cutting measure, organizers chose to eliminate rented safety barriers erected along the parade route, a move dictating they also remove the danger of a runaway float. Savings: $10,000.

Organizers say they don't anticipate the change will impact parade participation or attendance, as floats have never been a big part of the six-block procession. Last year's parade had 13 floats, said Teri Cox-Hickey, president of CC Event Productions, promoter of the Ybor City Chamber of Commerce's biggest fundraiser.

The chamber will mock its own ban, said chamber President Tom Keating.

"We're marching as non-motorized floaters," with members sporting swimming tubes, life jackets and similar buoyant devices, he said. "We're trying to put our dignity where our mouth is."

Some will pull wagons carrying what Keating calls "the bare essentials" for parade participants: beer, beads, boom box.

Answering the call for crazy, countless college students will march as zombies and vampires, aided by first-class makeup the chamber is providing. Costumed fans of some of the participating bands plan to march, and the assorted street performers and odd characters will include fire-eaters, Keating said.

Mama Guava will ride a horse-drawn carriage.

Reporter George Wilkens can be reached at (813) 259-7124.

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