Growing up in Chilliwack

Growing up in Chilliwack.....1946

This is taken approximately 1946......it is a Cherry Carnival parade...the whole town turned out for this event......the festivities continued to the exhibition ground .....a Cherry Carnival Queen was judged and events held at the race track...I can remember exciting racing cars and slick tricks with speeding automobiles and motorcycles...One year Jean Valjean, a local magician, escaped from a barrel he was welded in to...it was a big deal......He would not even tell his son how he did it....Terry Valjean was a friend of mine and I badgered him for an answer but he just did not know.... .......there was always a midway and of course everyone was into that.....get a load of the turnout for the parade...there are people sticking out of windows and perched on the buildings......I would be about 10 then and very likely me and a pal would be in that photo somewhere....I doubt if a decent Bing cherry grows here anymore.....there are lots of theories on the disappearance of the great fruit growing that took place....I dunno why its all gone.....most old timers say a blight...whatever that's all about.