PHILLIPS – Outhouses might have been construed as the theme for the Phillips Old Home Days parade Friday. But the parade’s theme, “You might be a redneck,” prompted many to bring out the Budweiser cans, floppy-brimmed hats and motorized vehicles of every variety, in addition to at least three privies.

Of all the privy-adorned “floats,” the rider with the bumpiest trip was, no doubt, Justin Holbrook, 14, of Stratton, riding in a hanging privy that swung with the motion of the truck on which it was hung. Occasionally his little wooden house smashed against the truck’s rear bumper. He said it was not scary, though he was not smiling through the seeming ordeal.

But, for the most part, humor was the rule of the day.

Misspelled words abounded – a wooden keg perched atop an outhouse was labeled “Beah” while another privy-adorned float urged people to “use a low-flow hoppah.”

State legislative candidate Roger Lambert, donning a red-wool jacket and beaver-tail hat, shouted from a rocky rowboat, “We need to rock the boat,” presumably in reference to state government.

And Lambert was not the only candidate represented in the parade.

Stephen Charles, 6, of Phillips shouted, “Tom White’s tough on crime,” in a striped prison uniform from his barred perch on his float while 8-year-old Cheyenne Dawes of Jay, in black judge’s robes, brought down the gavel in the rear. White is running for Franklin County sheriff.

Preschool and school-aged “future” rednecks rode motorcycles and ATVs, some nearly flipping over backwards doing wheelies.

A muddy ATV rider’s sign proclaimed you know you are a red neck if this is your transportation to the prom.

A float decorated almost entirely in red and purple carried a large group of Red Hat Society members, donning their typical head gear. The large group toasted the day drinking tea from Ball canning jars, winning the most beautiful float category.

Redneck Rescue won the judge’s approval and first prize for the funniest float of the day. Rolling a heavily bandaged and splinted Linda Haines down Main Street, the “medics” occasionally decided to check on the patient’s progress at which time her gurney was dumped with a loud thud onto the street, giving a scare and then big laugh to those who witnessed the antics.