Doo Dah Parade

Sorry Doo Dah, I was disappointed with you this year. The old standbys were there end of the parade at the beginning, Marching Fidels, Uncle Sam on the giant wheel and some political/​social humor (supreme court justices). What turned me off this year was the strong commercial presents of people promoting candidates, and businesses without much humor or creativity. What I didn’t like the multiple hunted houses/​forest promote. It is just not my thing. I was also handed a lot of promotional materials. I must look extra friendly or was in the right place.
I guess a challenge I could put out to myself and the rest of Columbus, lets be more creative and add some more political, social satire or try to be just plain funny back into the parade Anyone can enter, you just show up on parade day.

The Doo Dah parade is outstanding! From Uncle Sam riding the one-​wheel motorcycle to Batman and everything funny and unique in between, the Doo Dah parade is a 5 star win. Political satire, the bizarre, and sometimes just the stupid, Doo Dah will make you smile and laugh… I dont care who you are.
The beginning of the parade is at the end, and the rain date is the day before is just some of the quirkiness Doo Dah brings.
My only warning… it can be «R» rated at times, so keep that in mind if your toting young children.

Always a fun event. We got there early for a prime spot on the curb by Goodale Park. The Hobby Lobby was funny and the CCAD balloon sculptures were incredible. Lots of candy being thrown; my granddaughter raked it in.

I the Doo Dah Parade! it has everything I like! People being fun, smiling and interacting with each other in a spirit of community and open acceptance plus I like glitter and things hat are bright and fabulous

The Doo Dah parade is good, good fun! I’ve been the last two years, and it is a wild, expect-​the-​unexpected kind of time. A great way to celebrate our Independence Day by celebrating freedom of speech and the right to assemble.
You’ll see some truly crazy stuff, so I’m not sure it’s good for young children, but tremendous amount of fun for adults. Even through some rain today, there was still a big crowd and many, many sights to see.

The Doo Dah Parade can be summed up in the phrase, «Anything but ordinary.» I have to admit I’m a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to 4^th of July parades, but this year my husband and I decided to give up the suburban parade of high school cheerleaders, local politicians and youth baseball teams in favor of the Doo Dah. We were not disappointed. Though it was HOT, and shade was at a premium on High Street, the parade was entertaining and enjoyable. I would recommend getting there a little before the start time to secure a seat in the shade and to bring refreshments. For anyone about to experience the Doo Dah for the first time, I will pass along the advice given to us, «go with no expectations.» The Doo Dah will make you laugh one min. and scratch your head the next. Next year give the Doo Dah Parade a try, you won’t be sorry!

Doo Dah parade is bizarre. It’s weird and I found myself laughing, smiling and turning my head away from some of the floats.
Ultra fun. I’ll go every year.

Yeah, yeah, I know, I’ve lived in this town for nearly a decade as a self-​described Discordian and only this year did I actually get to witness the grand Eristic ritual that is Columbus’s Doo Dah Parade. And what a fool I was, too! This is THE way to celebrate the Fourth: by being so bat-​shit insanely American that even the cops get into the spirit. Well, except for that one stone-​faced sonumbitch, but ah well–
If you could condense Columbus into one hour-​long spectacle, this would be it. Public nudity, rampant progressivism, and a whole prides’ share of tongues glued to cheeks– in more ways than one, I’m certain! From the Marching Fidels to the car being pulled by flesh-​hooks, there was hardly a dull moment– except for that one time when some politician I’ll never remember tried to prattle on near me about how he’s going to create jobs. Yawn, dude, take off yer pants and start singing a Joan Baez song, for Christ’s sake! Or SOMETHING!
The only real downside to this event for me was the obnoxious guy I accidentally ended up standing next to through most of the thing. Sexist, obnoxious, and rude– ah, but even he was okay, in his own way, especially after he left to search for ginch ahoof.
All in all, the only complaint I have is that this wonderful display of anarchy, irreverence, and joy only happens once a year. Columbus is SO weird that sometimes I think the locals forget without a little reminder, like a man dressed as Santa Claus squirting milk out of fake titties into the crowd. (Note: This did not happen at Doo Dah, but I think I have an idea for next year’s!)

«I thought this was, like, the *other* parade.»
I went to the Doo Dah Parade expecting to see a handful of people lining high street. I figured there was a city sponsored parade that everyone else would be at. Ha! My friend and I drove around for at least 20 minutes trying to find parking and then were barely able to find a place to watch. As it turns out, this is THE 4^th of July parade.
There we a lot of hilarious entries («Didn’t you date that guy in the bodysuit?») and some were confusing («They’re Juggalos? What’s a Juggalo? Why are they wasting Faygo?») but all in all it summed up the independent and kooky spirit of Columbus. The only place better to be on July 4^th other than watching the Doo Dah parade is to be in it.

All of my thoughts on the Doo Dah parade can be organized into one question: This is an Independence Day Parade? Truly, there is no red-​white-​blue, stars and stripes, firetruck banaza in this parade. However, our greatest gift (maybe), Freedom of Speech, is well represented.
There’s something deliciously organic about a parade that just anyone can start marching in willy-​nilly. Doo Dah’s kind of like your best friend that doesn’t have a filter; you know, the one that says whatever’s on their mind no matter how embarrassing, detrimental, mean, etc… But then you think about it, and appreciate their honesty and can’t help but loving them
The parade aptly runs though the Short North and Victorian Village. I watched it at the corner of 2^nd and High right near Northstar. It was a great viewing area with a lot of space for people to sit and put on their little show in the middle of the street.
This parade sort of had an unofficial theme this year: Fuck You BP. And rightly so. Other people/​floats/​and groups included: Marching Fidels, Vikings, Captain Ohio, Roller Derby Girls, and of course, my personal favorite: Juggalos.
Definitely one of the silliest, most random, and most creative parades I’ve ever been too (next to the Mermaid parade in Brooklyn), and surely one to check out if you’re in Columbus for the fourth.

Who doesn’t love a satire? The Doo Dah Parade is nothing short of hysterical.
It occurs each Independence Day. There’s no registration. If you want to be in the parade, just show up. You had better be in a strange costume, otherwise you’ll stand out like a sore thumb.
I like watching the parade on Neil Ave better than on High. It just seems more intimate, I guess. All the residents stand on their porches and drink margaritas while a bunch of hooligans set up camp on their front lawns. No one cares. For one day, no one cares.
The parade is typically foreshadowed by a couple of coneheads on a bicycle built for two. Then comes the ringleader, bullhorn in hand, alerting the crowd: «This is the start of the Doo Dah parade. What’s behind me, your guess is as good as mine.»
And we’re off. Paris Hilton look-​alikes whiz by on motorized coolers, the fitness Fidels do jumping jacks in the street, associates of the Rocky Horror crew shake their bon bons in fishnets and panties, the queen of England waves from the back window of one of those absurdly tacky art cars, and the crowd members cheer and snap pictures as they munch on the assorted candy piling up near the curb.
Is this Heaven? No, it’s Doo Dah.
This year, it rained on the Doo Dah Parade. Too bad the rain date is July 3. The procession ended with a party in Goodale Park. It was too wet and cold for this party pooper, so I skipped the festivities. But I’m looking forward to a sunny Doo Dah next year.
Don’t ever go to a boring old parade with high school band music, arts and crafts floats, and creepy child pageant stars again. Go to Doo Dah; you’ll laugh more.

The Doo Dah Parade is my kind of parade. No pre-​registration, no rain dates, no order what so ever. Its not even patriotic. The parade usually begins with The Marching Castros’ which is as un-​American as you can get.
Park anywhere you can and walk down to Neil Avenue. My preferred spot is on the corner of First and Neil. The house on this corner has stone blocks all the way to the curb so you don’t have to worry about grass ass. Watch out for the homeowners however, they get pretty rowdy. This year a man had constructed a flamingo attached to a remote controlled car that ran havoc around the streets. As the parade went on and the homeowner got drunker he began to make the flamingo crash into innocent by-​standers (me) with his remote control. I hope that guy stays inside next year.
The parade is usually right after com-​fest so everyone is drinking out of the com-​fest mugs, so bring yours with you. You know the parade has started when you start hearing the cheers of «Doo» and «Dah» shouted back and forth. Gotta love crowd participation.
Over the years I have enjoyed such «floats» as the pregnant, chain smoking, red bull drinking Britney Spears’. The women with wigs on the crotch who walk around yelling «No More Bush». The Rocky Horror people always make you stop and do the Time Warp again, and the parodies of local government are classic.
The best thing about Doo Dah is how they mock the issue of the year. During the smoking ban everyone was smoking, this year Cheney was walking around shooting everyone. I believe McCain was jumping out of caskets as well.
Not for the Red, White, and True, this parade mocks everything sacred. See you next year on First and Neil!

Every July 4^th the Doo Dah parade marches through the streets of Victorian Village.
Why? Why not! Just show up and start parading!
It’s silly, and pointless, and a good deal of fun (if you can find parking).