Great Circus Parade

Count the ways this colossal spectacle is special
By Jackie Loohauis-Bennett of the Journal Sentinel
Posted: July 9, 2009

How big is "stupendous"? How huge is "great"?
The Great Circus Parade has been described with every splendiferous, over-the-big-top adjective possible in its 40-year history. On Sunday, the parade returns to Milwaukee, giving us another opportunity to measure its impact.
Better yet, add it up for yourself.
18 - Number of months of preparation the parade usually requires to get ready
8 - Number of months organizers of the 2009 parade actually had to prepare
2 - Number of people the 2009 parade is dedicated to: its originators, the late Chappie Fox and Ben Barkin
1:20 p.m. - The time the pre-parade section with antique cars sets out
1909 - The earliest model year for the antique cars in the parade
1941 - The year the newest vintage car in the parade was built
1:30 p.m. - The time the Great Circus Parade proper steps off from Veterans Park
100 - Years ago that fans would have seen this type of historic parade
126 - Number of units in the parade
450 - Horses in the lineup
2.5 mph - Speed of a slow-plodding parade horse
3.4 - Length of the parade route in miles
2 - Hours it takes the parade to pass any given point
80 - Clowns in greasepaint
30 - Bands in the parade
1,050 - Musicians playing
40 - Number of songs any one person watching the parade is likely to hear
50 - The number of unique antique circus wagons in the parade
1,120 - Weight (in pounds) of the lightest wagon in the parade
18,510 - Weight (in pounds) of the heaviest wagon in the parade
15 - Approximate height (in feet) of the tallest wagon in the parade, The Golden Age of Chivalry
6 - Sections in the parade: Patriotic, Wild West, Ringling, Children's, Circus Splendors and International
2,000 - Costumes used in the parade
72,000 - feathers used by parade participants
7 - Stilt-walkers in the parade
3 - Number of times a single horse will contribute to Poop Bingo along the parade route (450 times three . . . you do the math)