Clampers to bring hijinks to Foresthill's July 4 parade

Known to wreak irreverent, aqueous havoc on the streets and citizenry during Colfax July 4 parades, the Clampers are re-locating their colorful hijinks to another Placer County community for Monday's festivities."Lock up your daughters," Grand Humbug "Georgetown" George Martin said in jest, confirming that the mirthful E Clampus Vitus Placer County chapter will be marching in the Foresthill parade."Just kidding - you said that first," he added, pointing out that the Clampers will be bringing their families along for the July 4 weekend celebration. "We'll show respect to the community."The Foresthill parade starts at 10 a.m. Monday and is followed by a barbecue at 11:30 a.m. Leroy E. Botts Memorial Park, that includes games and plenty of booths.The parade itself will celebrate the Foresthill Safety Club and Ambulance Service's 50 years on the Forest Hill Divide. But the Clampers - a humor driven fraternity that has roots in California stretching back to the Gold Rush - promise to add a dash of comic relief to the proceedings.Red-shirted, black-vested members don unusual hats and arm themselves with an array of water weapons for a march down the parade route.Foresthill ParadeWhat: July 4 celebrationWhere: Along Main Street, ending at the Foresthill Memorial HallWhen: 10-11 a.m. Monday In Colfax, the rivalry with the local fire department was an intense one, Martin noted.In fact, the Clampers made the move to Foresthill because it's closer to their roots and the mountain cabin retreat nearby that they have used for several years during initiations. Martin said the group recently made a move to Applegate because it had outgrown that facility. Foresthill, fresh from establishing special "water-war zone" and "dry" parade zones, is preparing for a "nice little hometown parade," said Fourth of July event chairwoman Melissa Magorian. The zones are new, said the veteran of 26 parades. The parade has been a staple for at least 50 years in the mountain community 17 miles east of Auburn. Last year's event attracted 47 entries and lasted about 40 minutes.The presence of the Clampers didn't drive the decision, she said."We need to make it fun for the kids (thus, the water-war zones) so half the route is water and half of it isn't," Magorian said.Martin said he'll let his army of Clampers know before the parade that the route will have a no-spray zone.The Journal's Gus Thomson can be reached at gust@goldcountrymedia.com.