I was very disappointed with the Cheese Days parade.

We attended our former hometown with friends and looked forward to the parade. The leadoff with the brown Swiss cows was, as usual, great! But the parade was much too long. There were too many repetitions and, as a result, it was a parade of quantity and not quality. Many people in the area we were in left before the end.

I also was highly insulted by the appearance of the Monroe High School band in a small group riding on a truck. Bands from all over the area appeared in full uniform, in full force, and marched. The host town couldn't do this? The band should have appeared near the front of the parade representing the host town. As an alumnus of a great band, I was really upset.

A third thing that was upsetting was the fact that more attention should have been paid to the 150th birthday celebration of Monroe. The reason we came was because this was a special year and we expected the same of the parade. I saw a banner, but not much else. And the parade ended not with a bang but with a whimper.

I think there is a great deal of room for improvement since Cheese Days really draw a crowd. It will be awhile before we think of returning.