April 1 – St. Stupid's Day Parade

Posted on April 1, 2016

For 38 years, San Francisco has a colorful April-Fools-y sort of celebration: an annual parade called the Saint Stupid's Day Parade.

It's an event held by the satire religion called the “First Church of the Last Laugh.” It's supposed to celebrate stupidity. Parade participants are urged to wear silly outfits, bring noise makers, and make funny or satiric signs. Comment on “the business of religion” and “the religion of business” are apparently especially encouraged.

I like the sign that says "ESCHEW COMPLEXLESSNESS."

Participants are also asked to bring their lone socks (whose partner has gone missing), for the ritual held at the Pacific Stock Exchange. The ritual is, of course, a SOCK exchange!

Socks aloft!

People are asked to bring their pennies, because the penny is a pretty useless sort of coin that costs more to make than it is worth, and that doesn't work in any machine other than the coin-sorter machines with which we get rid of our pennies! During the St. Stupid's Day Parade, people finally have a use for their pennies: throwing them at the Banker's Heart Sculpture.

People are also asked to bring their losing lottery tickets - because math shows that playing the lottery is a waste of money. The final ritual of the parade is a stop at the Federal Reserve HQ, where all those lotto tickets become confetti.