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No motorized floats, but Guavaween rolls on

Staff photo by MARK DOUGLAS

Devils and angels, both were out in force in Ybor City for Guavaween.

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TBO.com

Published: October 31, 2009

Horsepower is horsepower. At least as far as this year's Guavaween goers were concerned.

Horse-drawn carriages replaced motor-driven floats this year as organizers looked to cut back on the expenses of putting up protective fencing along the parade route. Spectators didn't seem to mind the switch, though.

Organizers had hoped the crowd would inch near 50,000, but paramedics and concessionaires said the throngs seemed to be lighter than recent turnouts that hovered around 45,000.

Those who did show up enjoyed themselves, though.

Flintstone costumes proved popular, along with the standard devils and angels. There were white weddings and black ones too – though a number of brides seem to be missing much of their dresses and appeared to be heading directly to the honeymoon.

There are sailor boys and sailor girls; manly men, men of steel, a tin man or two; batmen, bat girls and even a few bat boys. There were jokers and jesters; and clowns, both happy and sinister. Alice in Wonderland showed people at the Bernini restaurant. Buxom nurses were frequently invited to join private parties on the balconies overlooking 7th Avenue.

The steamy weather was on peoples' minds. "You think it's hot now, just waiting until you get in the coffin,' was a oft-heard refrain.

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