OGDEN -- The blazing sun didn't stop people from turning out in droves for Ogden's Pioneer Days parade.
Parade Director Doug Stephens estimated between 90,000 and 100,000 people crowded the sidewalks along Washington Boulevard to watch the horses, floats, bands and cars pass by on Saturday morning.
While the people in the parade's 131 entries may have been very happy to get water and Popsicles at the end of the parade, they didn't regret their time in the heat.
"It's exciting," said Aubrie Anderson, Ogden High School sophomore. "The Tigerettes have had kind of a rough past."
"So we're just trying to build it up and show everybody what we are doing," added Lihuen Zlatohlavek, a sophomore Tigerette.
Even if it's fun, everybody was relieved to break ranks or break character at the end of the parade.
Marchers and float riders rushed to take off uniforms and costumes and grab water bottles.
Those with horses had even more work ahead of them. After getting up at 5:30 a.m. to feed the horses and get ready, the Whoopie Girls had to be lining up for the parade at 7 a.m. Once the parade is over, the horses must be unsaddled, loaded into the trailer, taken home and groomed.
But the horses took everything in stride, even though it was a first time in the parade for a few of them.
Ashley Knighton, 20, said she loves being in the parade and the fun that comes with it.
The only problem with the animals was Dylan Hoit's horse not liking the lines painted on the road.
"It was weird, she hated the crosswalks," Hoit said laughing.
Lessly Ibarra, 17, said as long as you had enthusiasm, the heat didn't seem so bad.
Ibarra was on the Mount Lewis Stake float built by her father.
She said they worked for several months to create it, but the work was worth it when they saw peoples' faces and heard the cheering.
The Morgan Stake float channeled a little bit of the World Cup spirit with a kid dressed in gold blowing a vuvuzela atop an Ogden temple replica.
The military and veterans got the best response from the crowd, with people along the street standing up to clap and cheer as the floats went past.
Staff Sgt. Eric Ewell, an Air Force reservist, said the support from the bystanders was amazing with many of them shouting their thanks as the military passed. He said the marchers high-fived kids along the route.
"You could just really feel the pride of being in the Air Force."
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