Sinclair Lewis Days Parade - Webcam, Weather, and All That

"Sinclair Lewis Days Parade: July 18, 2009"
A Sauk Centre Journal Realreel
video, 3:44

This is blatant self-promotion by the Lemming. And, possibly, your best bet for seeing at least part of a Sinclair Lewis Days parade this year, in comfort. Even if you live in Sauk Centre, or are visiting for the festivities.

As an alternative to that short video of the 2009 parade, you could check out this eye-on-the street webcam in Sauk Centre, right on this year's parade route, provided by - you guessed it - the Lemming:

Small Town America: Minnesota

Just one downside about Small Town America: Minnesota - there isn't any sound.

Dropping the Editorial 'We' -

My video feed supports audio - but I haven't figured out how to get a microphone outside the window - and keep the thing in working order. I may use the inside mike, and give a sort of 'color commentary,' in the tradition of those televised Macy's Thanksgiving Day parades.

Or, I may think better of it.

When? Sauk Centre's Sinclair Lewis Days parade is scheduled for "7pm on Saturday July 16th," on the Sauk Centre Chamber of Commerce website.

I'm lucky, in a way - the parade route was moved away from this end of town a few years ago. Which was, for most folks, an improvement. The reason it's back in its old path is the Minnesota government shutdown. I understand that, since the state services are gone - temporarily, I trust - we "can't" close Highway 71 for the parade.

I'm pretty sure local law enforcement could handle the situation: My guess is that it's more a case of we aren't allowed to close Highway 71.

The Weather - Good News, Bad News

First, the good news.

Right now, it looks like we probably won't have another storm tomorrow evening. Not even rain.

Now, the bad news.

There's a heat advisory out for this part of the state - effective through Wednesday Evening. Todd county, just north of us, is one of the few counties around here that's not in the advisory - so we may get away with merely oppressive heat.

That's not good news for folks in the parade - or watching it. Oh, well: It could be worse.

Part of the Advisory

"Statement as of 3:46 PM CDT on July 15, 2011

"... Excessive heat watch remains in effect from Saturday afternoon
through Wednesday evening...

"An excessive heat watch remains in effect from Saturday afternoon
through Wednesday evening.

"* Temperature... afternoon highs in the low to mid 90s with low
temperatures in the mid to upper 70s

"* heat index... 105 to 110 degrees in the afternoon and early
evening...."
(via wunderground.com)

Vaguely-related posts:

• "Lemming Tracks: Sauk Centre Storm and the Lemming"
  (July 13, 2011)
• "Lemming Tracks: The Lemming Gets Transparent"
  (April 18, 2011)
• "New York City Blizzard, New Jersey Common Sense, and Central Minnesota Routines"
  (December 28, 2010)
• "Repairing Violins in Small Town America: This One's Personal"
  (December 21, 2010)
• "Another Tornado Warning: Second This Week"
  (July 17, 2010)