Nevada Day Parade

About 35,000 people stood or sat along Carson Street to watch horses, marching bands and politicians at the Nevada Day parade.
Good weather and the upcoming elections helped inspire a record turnout Saturday in Carson City, said Ron McKimmy, vice president of the Nevada Day board of directors.
"It's better than it has been in years past," 16-year-old Carson City resident Sara Peterson said. "The floats look like more time was spent on them."
Pageant queens from all over Nevada waved as they rode on the hoods and trunks of cars. Bagpipers serenaded crowds with Scottish tunes.
"The Burning Man entries were the hit of the parade," McKimmy said. "The steam-
powered Victorian house stole the show."
The two-story "Neverwas Haul," powered by a locomotive engine, was just one of the floats with ties to the annual celebration in the Black Rock Desert to be on desplay at the parade.
Cari "Diva-Licious" Lockett, the leader of Burning Man group Diva Den, said the number of Burning Man performers has increased all three years it has been a part of the parade.
"We've gone exponential," Lockett said. "It started with one art car and a dozen people. The next year, it was two cars and 24 people, and this year there are six art cars and approximately 70 people."
The parade was also a venue for people to promote their causes or passions, as was the case for the Sierra Nevada Llamas and Alpacas.
The proud owners led their animals down Carson Street to correct common misconceptions about llamas and alpacas.
"We get tired of hearing 'do they spit?' 'do they bite?'" said member Toni Pearce of Sierra Valley, Calif.
Owner of Carson Valley Alpacas Ellen Goldsmith, 59, of Gardnerville said the typically load-bearing animals make great pets. They can be house-broken and their fur can be spun into clothing. Pearce said she also uses the calm animals as therapy for residents of the Fountain Assisted Senior Living.
"It's a real tactile experience, and they get to tell their families the llama came to visit," Pearce said.