Photo Story: True/False’s March March fills the streets of Columbia

With the second day of the True/False Film Fest rearing up, participants gathered to walk in the March March parade led by the Q Queens and the Gora Gora Orkestar Balkan band. The parade began at the Boone County Courthouse Square and ended at the Missouri Theatre, and included live music and other entertainment.

Parade participants gather at the Boone County Courthouse Square before the parade on Friday, March 1, 2024 to celebrate the True/False Film Fest together in Columbia, Mo. Larry Lile enjoyed the starting commotion as a volunteer. “I’ve gone to the festival a couple of times and volunteering is the way to go,” Lile said. “It’s so much fun to make this happen and get involved in it and see behind the scenes.”

Volunteer Larry Lile takes a group photo of the Q Queens who will lead the parade. The Q Queens are in charge of “Q-ing” outside events and answering questions for visitors.

Q Queen Jeff Belden takes a selfie while waiting for the parade to begin. Belden was an avid participant in the fest until deciding to join the Q Queen community which he has now done for seven years. “I kept seeing these queens and that looked like a fun gig,” Belden said.

Jill Schmidt (left) and Mary Colquhoun (right) talk before the parade starts. To decide their costumes, they wanted to match the theme of this year’s fest. “We were talking about the theme, human paradox, and we were like, ‘What could we be?’” Schmidt said. “And then my mom was like, ‘Oh, we could be pair-o-ducks.’” The costumes are meant to be a play on the word “paradox.”

 Scott Johnson plays the sousaphone as the band makes its way down Ninth Street.  To start the parade, participants follow the Q Queens and the Gora Gora Orkestar band as they play New Orleans style music. Johnson got a call from a bandmate to play the sousaphone in the Balkan brass band on a whim. “I’ll give anything a try,” Johnson said.

 Other participants in the parade continue marching to the New Orleans theme. Chris and James Quinn had previous Mardi Gras costume material to spare and used it again for the March March parade.

As the parade ends, participants gather for food and entertainment. One volunteer, Don Jourdan, conversed with a participant who made bubbles on the side of the road. “Columbia is the center of the universe,” Jourdan said. “Missouri is right in the middle of the United States. There’s people from all over the world that come here to go to school and work, and each one of us is the center of our own universe.”

Edited by Hannah Schuh | hschuh@themaneater.com

Copy Edited by Briana Iordan | biordan@themaneater.com

Edited by Scout Hudson | shudson@themaneater.com