Video Story
Watch Video"Largest crowd ever" gets soaked at Pueblo West parade
Story By: David Ortiviz
Source: KOAA
It was a wet and wild Fourth of July in Pueblo West where town leaders say one of the largest crowds ever showed up to the annual wet parade.
"A good way to cool off and start the day," said one parade-goer.
It was the return the annual wet parade in Pueblo West this Fourth of July and thousands showed up armed and ready to soak. "Biggest squirt gun fight," said one man.
It's a parade like no other. The crowd brings super-soakers, hoses, and buckets to soak each other and the moving floats and fire engines. "They split it up dry section wet section, so if you don't want to get wet you don't have to," said one man.
However, most people go to get soaked. "It was awesome, really refreshing, I love it," said one woman.
"It was great. It was, after a two year hiatus this was probably the largest crowd I've ever seen in the 8 years I've been here," said Don Saling, Pueblo West District Manager.
Parade organizers brought the wet section back, to bring the crowds back. Attendance dropped dramatically over the past two years, because water wasn't allowed after some people got hit and injured by frozen water balloons. So this year, water balloons weren't allowed and sheriff deputies beefed up patrols to keep everyone safe.
Sheriff Kirk Taylor told News First deputies didn't find anyone breaking the rules.
"I think it's really great that they let us have the water again and everyone behaved themselves. We're just having fun," said one woman.
With no major problems to report this year, organizers say the wet parade will be back again next year.
