Parade day judges hold court.

Byline: Mark Baker The Register-Guard

If you think sitting behind a courtroom bench and judging the accused is easy, try judging 100 entries in the weirdest, wackiest parade this side of normal.

"The courtroom's easier," said "Judge Cool," aka Eugene Municipal Court Judge Don Loomis. "Too much evidence out here."

Nonetheless, the judges for Saturday's 25th annual Eugene Celebration Parade - about half of them real judges who wear real black robes for a living - managed to reach consensus.

Once again, Samba Ja rules.

The yellow-and-blue clad Eugene drumming and dance troupe with the Brazilian flair not only brought up the rear of the parade as entry No. 100, it took home a fifth first-place prize in the past six years, this time taking home the top honor, best in show, just as it did in 2002, along with another first place for best listening (best use of sound).

"They had the music and the costumes - they had the whole shebang," said parade volunteer Terra Sieberman, who organized the panel of judges, a decidedly judgmental and "judge-like" crew, if there ever was one.

In fact, there was even a "Judge Mental," - she of the black robe, white wig and red clown nose - known in more serious circles as Lane County Circuit Court Judge Cynthia Carlson.

With Carlson on the Eighth Avenue judge's stand were Eugene Municipal Court Judge Alan Leiman ("Flav a Judge") and Victor Rozek ("Judge MeNot"), a Springfield resident and volunteer for Court Appointed Special Advocates.

"I'm just a judge groupie," said Rozek, a neon-green wig setting off his black robe.

Sieberman has organized the parade judges for the past few years and always tries to pick a theme. One year, all the judges were school superintendents. And last year? "Last year they were my friends," she said with a laugh just before the 2007 version of the parade launched Saturday from the corner of East 11th Avenue and Pearl Street.

Parade judges write comments on entry sheets that contain columns for each entry, headed "DUD," "Good Effort" and "Award Worthy."

Joining Loomis, Carlson, Leiman and Rozek this year were retired Lane County Circuit Court Judge Darryl Larson ("Judge HasBeen"), former state representative Mary Burrows ("Judge Wannabe"), and three South Eugene High School freshman, twins Emma ("Judge Musclebar Handstache") and Anna Brenneman ("Judge JJaclyn Amazon"), and Cori Tergesen ("Judge Kung Pao").

While the three teen judges held court at the corner of Broadway and Pearl Street, Loomis, Larson and Burrows observed the visual testimony on West 11th Avenue between Charnelton and Olive streets.

"They bribed us with Girl Scout Cookies," Burrows said after the almost-two-hour parade, referring to the folks of Entry No. 30, the Girls Scouts of Western Rivers Council. Sure enough, boxes of Girl Scout Cookies lay at the judge's elevated feet.

Did it work?

"I'll have to weigh myself when I get back," Burrows said. And, no, it didn't work. The Girl Scouts were nowhere to be found on the list of winners.

The judges were more impressed with the likes of Samba Ja, its drums banging, its whistles blowing, a marching percussion ensemble of African-influenced Brazilian dance music; the vibrant reds and purples of the ladies of the Red Hatters (Best Dressed); and the Humoroids, who took the Best Laughs prize for the second straight year with a pig theme that included a giant pig float, pink outfits, a wandering piglike person on roller skates and signs that read, "Give Pigs a Chance!" "Lighten Up - Pigs Can Fly!" and "Yo! Snoop Pigg Says Lighten Up!"

In case you didn't know, the theme of this year's Eugene Celebration is "Lighten Up."

And, as is always the case, because this is Eugene, political messages mixed aplenty with all the zaniness of this year's parade, despite talk in recent years of attempting to include fewer left-leaning entries.

That helps explain parade entry No. 67 - the Peace Train, a string of homemade train cars with peace flags flying freely and messages to check out www.beyondwar.org - whose message obviously got through to the judges, because it took the Judges Know Best prize.

In traditional Eugene Celebration parade style, other entries also couched heavy issues in light-hearted trappings.

Local American Civil Liberties Union members came dressed in red, white and blue top hats, carrying signs that read, "In Defense of Habeas Corpus" and "Fight for Your Rights." Placards carried by Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays proclaimed, "Lighten Up! Love More!" and "Lighten Up! Dump Bigotry!"

A group of women marched as "Eugene Code Pink" with their message, "Outraged Women Say No to War!" State representative Chris Edwards in person and supporters of Congressman Peter DeFazio ran on-street campaigns. The Latin American Group of Lane County's banner contended, "We Are All Immigrants."

Even a local landmark had its day in before the court, as supporters of Eugene's vintage Civic Stadium, dressed in old Eugene Emeralds baseball uniforms and walking behind an equally vintage stepvan, waved signs that read, "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" and "It's Your Civic Duty!"

And that's the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but.

EUGENE CELEBRATION PARADE 2007 AWARDS

Best of Show: Samba Ja

Best View: Oregon Country Fair; runner-up, Eugene International Film Festival

Best Dressed: Red Hatters; runner-up, Middle Eastern Dance Guild of Eugene

Best in Step: Sheldon High School Dance Team; runner-up, Royal Basketball Academy

Best Laughs: The Humoroids; runner-up, Eugene Newspaper Guild

Best Listening: Samba Ja; runner-up, Sanipac

Kids Are Best: Head Start of Lane County; runner-up, The Village School

Judges Know Best: Peace Train; runner-up, Unique Eugene

Best Middle School Band: Cal Young Middle School

Best High School Band: No entries

PET PARADE

What: Mile-long walk with pets leading their owners in five categories

When: 1:30 p.m. today

Where: East Eighth Avenue and Park West