Am I Wrong, or were the Colts Cheerleaders and Pacemates in the 500 Festival Parade?

Dave, Midwest Correspondent | Jun 4, 2015

Indianapolis has some great traditions centered around Memorial Day weekend, but a relatively recent tradition that MUST be maintained forever and ever is that the Colts Cheerleaders and Pacemates perform during the opening musical number at the 500 Festival Parade in downtown Indy. This year, the tradition continued, as the Colts Cheerleaders, Pacemates, and other local dancers started off the parade by dancing on the checkerboard carpet. And then the ICC and Pacemates performed with parade’s opening musical act, Nico & Vinz, Oslo, Norway’s biggest export since non-fillet fresh fish.

And let’s give a salute to a different kind of “ultimate cheerleader.” The 500 Festival Parade’s Grand Marshalls were the 1955 Crispus Attacks High School basketball team and cheerleaders. Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson was a big part of Crispus Attucks team that overcame obstacles and inequalities to win the 1955 Indiana state basketball tournament, becoming the nation’s first entirely African-American high school to win a championship. Upon winning the championship game, the Crispus Attucks team didn’t have the opportunity to enjoy the traditional ride in a fire truck and celebration on Monument Circle.

To honor the groundbreaking team, there was be a planned stop along the parade route, on Monument Circle. There, 60-years later, the Crispus Attucks basketball team and its cheerleaders, had their long overdue celebration, complete with music, signs, pompoms, and pictures; bringing their story full circle. So here’s a shout out to the cheerleaders finally able to cheer on their team and hear the cheers of the parade crowd.