The Cody Volunteer Fire Department has announced its fire engines will not participate in the Cody Stampede Parade on July 3 and 4, ending several years of bombastic tradition. Their fleet of siren-blaring trucks, which usually serve as the parade's grand finale, will be noticeably absent in 2025.
The reason for their withdrawal? Water balloon fights, or the lack thereof.
“In recent years, new rules and regulations have made our participation increasingly difficult,” Chief H.R. Coe said on social media. “We initially agreed to stop throwing candy from our trucks, provided we could continue the long-standing tradition of water balloons. Unfortunately, we’ve now been informed that water balloons are no longer allowed either.”
Due to this ban on water balloons, the Cody Volunteer Fire Department will only have a historic fire engine and a hose cart in this year’s parade. Their fleet of fire trucks will not participate.
This has caused consternation in Cody, as many people look forward to the trucks and the water balloon fights and accuse the parade’s organizers of siding with lawyers and insurance companies over good-natured fun.
The Cody Stampede Parade Committee is unfazed by the firestorm that started with the axing of the water balloon fight. When it’s a question of stopping the fight or losing the parade, the balloons hold no water.
Sorry To Burst The Balloon
Mack Frost, a member of the Cody Stampede Parade Committee for decades, said the Cody Volunteer Fire Department shouldn’t be surprised that they can’t throw water balloons in the parade. Technically, they haven’t been able to do that for years.
“The prohibition against water balloons has been there for 15 or 20 years,” he told Cowboy State Daily. “It’s printed on our entry forms. The assertion that these rules are new is not accurate.”
Frost acknowledged that water balloon fights are a long-standing tradition of the Cody Stampede Parade. That was part of the problem.
“The problem arose when the spectators started throwing water balloons back at the fire department,” he said. “Quite often, they would miss and arc over their entry in the parade and hit spectators on the other side who were completely unaware. It got out of hand.”
Innocent bystanders inevitably got caught in the crossfire. One year, an older woman was hit in the face by a water balloon with enough force that it broke her glasses.
That was when the parade committee decided that the rules needed to be changed and enforced, Frost said.
Rather than ban water balloon fights outright, the Cody Stampede Parade Committee and the Cody Volunteer Fire Department reached a compromise: restricted free-fire zones.
“Four or five years ago, the committee said we would not look the other way, but we would set up areas where they could have a water fight,” Frost said. “They could have water fights at the intersection of Sheridan and 15th Avenue, where the fire station is, and in front of the Silver Dollar Bar if they just kept it circumspect and didn’t let it get out of hand.”
That compromise seemed to work until the battle lines started extending across the entirety of Sheridan Avenue. Frost, who narrates the parade from the second-floor porch of the Irma Hotel, is a regular target despite being outside the designated area.
“I don’t mind, but they damn near hit my sound equipment,” he said.
On The Outs With The Outriders
One of the most important logistical teams for the Cody Stampede Parade is the Cody Outriders. This volunteer group of horse riders patrols the parade's periphery, keeping things moving and preventing overly enthusiastic spectators from stepping into the parade.
Frost said the Outriders have been integral to the Cody Stampede Parade for decades. Because they’re responsible for safety and security, they have a lot of input on parade etiquette.
“They have the authority to pull any entry in the parade from the parade if they’re misbehaving,” Frost said. “They have done that in the past, but it’s been a long time. They’re there to make sure everyone follows the rules.”
One of the more “controversial” rules for the Cody Stampede Parade is that candy can’t be thrown from floats or vehicles. It must be distributed by hand close to the sidewalks, which Frost said makes perfect sense when considering the potential hazards.
“We had little kids running out into the street and literally running underneath the Outriders’ horses to get candy,” he said. “It's a good thing those horses are fairly well trained and didn’t stomp on the kids, but when people throw candy from the middle of the road, that’s where danger happens.”
The Cody Outriders were designated as the Grand Marshals of the 2025 Cody Stampede Parade, inheriting the honor from Larry the Cable Guy. According to Frost, that’s why the Outriders decided to put their foot down on water balloons this year.
“The parade committee was informed that the Outriders were attempting to keep the fire department from throwing water balloons, and the fire department took exception to that.”
In his statement, Coe said the Cody Volunteer Fire Department tried to find a compromise with the parade committee. In his words, “no flexibility was offered regarding the established regulations.”
“Faced with the choice of breaking the rules, altering our participation in a way that doesn’t reflect the spirit of the tradition, or stepping back entirely, we sought a compromise with the parade committee,” he said. “Because we cannot control the actions of parade attendees—many of whom initiate the water balloon exchanges—we felt the only responsible option to avoid violating any rules was to limit our participation this year.”
Insurance Reassurance
Many Cody residents have accused the Cody Stampede Parade Committee of being cowed by the fear of lawsuits and insurance liability. For Frost, that’s a no-brainer.
“In order to put the parade down the parade route, we have to get permits,” he said. “A lot of people don’t seem to realize what goes into that.”
Sheridan Avenue is Cody’s main street, so the City of Cody has to sign off on permits, provide detours, and set up barricades between July 2 and 4.
However, Sheridan Avenue is also U.S. Highway 14-16-20, one of the main corridors to Yellowstone National Park, which means the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) has to sign off on blocking that route during the three days of parades.
Getting those permits isn’t the issue. Getting insurance is.
“We are required to have liability insurance for the parade, and we can’t get the insurance premiums we used to get,” he said. “We could only find one insurer who would handle the parade this year, and it’s costing us nearly double what it did last year.”
Without liability insurance, neither WYDOT nor the City of Cody will sign off on the parade. Anything that risks future liability insurance coverage, like unintentional injury by water balloon, must be taken seriously.
We’ve Been Informed
Frost wasn’t aware that the Cody Volunteer Fire Department was pulling their fire trucks out of the parade until Cowboy State Daily called him for comment. He wasn’t overly surprised and, to an extent, relieved by their decision.
“I don't have a problem with the guys celebrating their abilities and successes as a fire department,” he said. “They are, without a doubt, the finest volunteer fire department in the entire region. But by pulling out all their engines, I'm hoping that will solve the problem of water balloons.”
There don’t seem to be any hard feelings. Coe concluded his statement by wishing the Cody Stampede Parade Committee “all the best in hosting a safe and successful event, and we hope to return in future years if circumstances change.”
According to Frost, those circumstances aren’t likely to change. The historic Truck 00 and the fire hose cart will be welcome additions to the parade, but water balloon fights aren’t worth the risk.
This isn’t the Wild West. At least, not anymore.
“If water balloons caused us to lose our insurance, and subsequently lose the parade, I’m sure that would really look good on Facebook,” Frost said. “There would be a very measured response if we couldn’t do the Cody Stampede Parade because of water balloons.”
Andrew Rossi can be reached at arossi@cowboystatedaily.com.
