Slides on Parade

I found these in a box of family slides at an estate sale in Oakville a couple weeks ago.  In the box, I found some great slides of the 1982 Veiled Prophet, or VP Parade in St. Louis.  You can read about the parade's sordid past here.  Sordid as it may be, it had some great floats.  Again, I apologize for the quality of the shots.  I'm using a digital camera taken straight from the projection screen.  Still waiting to get that slide scanner.  Can anyone recommend an affordable yet capable slide scanner?

The Velvet Freeze float wins Best in Show in my opinion.  Velvet Freeze operated ice cream shops throughout St. Louis for 60 years.  One store remains open, but the business has not been family owned since 1980.

I'm presuming the young lady in white is the Veiled Prophet Queen of 1982 Alice Maritz (of St. Louis-based Martiz travel empire).  Alas, it seems the shine eventually wore off her crown.  As of recent years, she's been embroiled in a family squabble over the business.

For some reason, the fellow in front reminds me of Phil Silvers in the role of Harold Hecuba performing Hamlet from the Gilligan's Island episode "The Producer".

These slides were in the same box and feature yet another parade.  I believe this is the annual Inter-tribal Indian Ceremonial in Gallup, New Mexico.

I love this "Big Harted Jerry" sign.  From what little I can gather, Big Harted Jerry was a used car dealer.