The morning of Saturday, Oct. 3, 2015, dawned cool and clear. The participants in Kansas City’s American Royal parade gathered with their horses, balloons, floats and marching bands as they had for decades.

But that year, the parade, themed “A Star-Spangled Salute,” wouldn’t be making its way through the Crossroads and downtown. Instead, it would traverse a three-quarter mile route between Kauffman and Arrowhead stadiums.

Despite the change in location, participants were excited to carry on the longstanding tradition.

Yet as the parade began, the marchers saw that this would not be a normal year. Few spectators lined the route, and while this seemed odd, they didn’t suspect that this would be the final American Royal parade.

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