GRAND DETOUR – Jim Ross had to bust out his best moves Saturday to make sure the village’s Fifth Annual Golf Cart Parade wasn’t a wash out.

“He had to do his ‘no-rain-yet’ dance,” said Connie, Jim’s wife before the start of the annual event.

“It can rain all night, we’d just prefer it not to be now,” Jim said smiling.

‘Now’ was Saturday night in the parking lot of the John Deere Historic Site where 55 golf carts, all-terrain vehicles, and other miscellaneous vehicles were decked out in their best colors for a jaunt around the village.

The Rosses are the organizers of the event for the village’s 350-or so residents who wish to join in or just watch from their porches.

“It’s just for fun,” said Jim. “It is always interesting to see the ideas people come up with.”

Mark and Linda Downey, unofficially the reigning ‘Cart Couple’, followed their 2022 entry of ‘Red, Great White and Blue Shark’ complete with big googly eyes – with this year’s ‘Grand Detour Fire Quacker’ – with a big yellow duck plopped firmly on the roof.

“We kind of just ‘winged’ it,” said Linda laughing. “It took us about an afternoon to get it all decorated. It’s just soooo much fun!”

Linda also handed out little red, white and blue ducklings to kids at the parade.

Across the parking lot, the Welty family was a close second in dazzling displays as they used a Mardi Gras theme to fancy up their cart.

“It’s about Mardi Gras,” said Finn Sommers, 12, of Crystal Lake, the grandson of Tom and Steffaney Welty.

Finn and his siblings Ryder, 10, and Isla, 7, decorated the cart with feathers, masks, and plenty of shiny necklaces which Ryder and Isla happily distributed to onlookers.

The green, yellow, and purple them stood out in a sea of typical patriotic-themed carts.

This year’s Grand Marshal of the parade was John Foxley, a long-time resident of Grand Detour and volunteer responder with the Dixon Rural Fire District. He rode in the front seat of Jim Ross’ vintage Jeep.