MICKEY MOUSE and Disneyland Ambassador Mikey Trujillo wave to parade spectators (Orange County Tribune photos).

The Strawberry Festival Parade has long been a highlight of the four-day Memorial Day weekend event in Garden Grove, and Saturday’s edition was no exception.

“Celebrating 60 Years of Fun And Funding Charities” was the theme this year. The celebrity grand marshal was Mickey Mouse and the theme grand marshal was Jack Wallin, a 60-year veteran of volunteering to produce the festival.

JACK WALLIN, theme grand marshal for the parade.

THE MUSIC (and some bubbles) brought the dance in this young spectator.

A crowd of many thousands lined the parade route along Chapman Avenue and Euclid Street to listen to marching bands, applaud the local and visiting delegations and greet friends they hadn’t seen since, well, the last festival parade.

There were many highlights to the parade, which stepped off around 10 a.m. The Garden Grove and Santiago high school bands marched together and police chief Todd Elgin rode atop a huge armored military vehicle now part of the local SWAT team’s array of tools.

Small fry squealed to see the world’s most famous mouse riding in a red Mustang convertible; grownups marveled at the classic cars; music made feet tap and hands clap along the path from Ralphs supermarket to the Village Green clock tower; hawkers peddled toys and snacks to the miles of spectators.

Sunday’s schedule will include a variety of musical performers in the afternoon and the Berry Berry Beautiful Baby Contest in the morning.

For details and a complete schedule, go to www.strawberryfestival.org .

BOLSA GRANDE HIGH cheerleaders marched along the parade route; they cheered and were cheered.