About a half-hour into Chapin’s 25th annual Labor Day Parade, Stan Parks announced to no one in particular: “Too many politicians.”

Parks, who fled his Florida home and Hurricane Frances to be with family in Chapin, said Monday’s parade was much different than the last one he remembered in 1990.

“I was in the band that time,” said Parks, who graduated from Chapin High School. “But the band is all I saw.”

What the former Eagle trumpet player saw from the curb of Beaufort Street was plenty of politicians blowing their horns at the unofficial start of the election season.

Just about everyone running for state and local office whose district includes Chapin joined in the 150-unit parade that snaked through the streets of the Lexington County town.

Politicians, though, were not the only ones marching.

The parade offered a cross-section of the Midlands community, from a Junior ROTC marching unit to church-sponsored floats. Also included were beauty queens, cloggers, martial arts students plus tractors and antique cars.

Despite threatening skies courtesy of Frances, only a few sprinkles could be felt during the nearly two-hour parade.

With thousands of people lining the streets of Chapin, the event offered candidates an opportunity for some mass retail politicking.

For example, Republican Jim DeMint and Democrat Inez Tenenbaum, who are vying for Fritz Hollings’ U.S. Senate seat, offered diverse styles of marching.

DeMint walked behind a pickup while Tenenbaum sat on the rear deck of a red Cadillac convertible.

Parks’ favorite entry among the politicians was Lexington-Richland 5 trustee Tom Ballou, who pulled nine wagons loaded with children. The stunt echoed Ballou’s “Pulling for Education” slogan.

While many of the politicians were ignored, a round of applause greeted parade grand marshal Tommy Hamill, a former captive of Iraqi insurgents, and his wife, Kellie.

The Hamills held hands as they sat on the rear deck of a red convertible sponsored by American Legion Post 193. Hamill alternately waved and gave a thumbs-up to the crowd.

The 44-year-old Macon, Miss., man went to work a year ago in Iraq as a fuel tank truck driver to pay off his farm debt. He escaped his captors in May after being held 23 days.

Hamill is a nephew of Chapin resident Jerry Hamill, a retired truck driver and past president of Post 193.

Along the parade route, politicians’ supporters passed out stickers and candy.

Susan McDonald split her ticket by sporting stickers for U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson, a Republican, and Democrat Tenenbaum.

“I’m not really into political parties,” said McDonald, who was waiting to see her son march by with the high school band. “I vote for the man or woman, not the party.”

Others, such as Marilyn Weiber, went to see friends or family. Her husband, Paul, drove his Porsche Boxster in the parade. The car sported a Rotary Club sign.

“It’s fun,” said Weiber, who lives in nearby Timberlake. “And he has a lot of fun being in the parade.”

Also having fun were Breanna Brinson and her friend Savannah Snyder.

The 9-year-old girls waved their arms in hopes that people on the parade units would toss candy their way.

By the end of the parade, Breanna’s mother, Becky, held a bag about half full of candy.

Breanna said she liked the parade but the candy was her favorite part.

Savannah agreed and added, “I think there’s a lot of cool stuff.”

For Becky Brinson, it was her first Chapin parade. She and Breanna moved to the community about three weeks ago from Blythewood.

“I like it,” Brinson said. “There’s a lot of friendliness here.

“I hope someday I can be a part of it.”

Reach Crumbo at (803) 771-8503 or ccrumbo@thestate.com.