Giants fans don't let rain dampen World Series parade

SAN FRANCISCO — The orange and black motif that usually makes the San Francisco Giants and Halloween such a perfect blend had an element largely foreign to these parts intrude on Friday's World Series championship parade.

Rain.

Yes, it did rain — lightly — on the Giants' parade, not a welcome development but at least a mixed blessing in an area that has experienced a severe drought over the last three years.

Plus, when you keep holding these celebrations with such frequency, at some point you're bound to get some precipitation. San Francisco's party to honor its baseball team's third championship in the last five years — the second time in a row the Giants have been feted on Halloween — brought out the usual elements of civic pride, speech-making and bountiful cheers for anybody associated with the club.

Per usual, it was a multi-sensory experience.

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Chants of "Let's go Giants!" broke out shortly before the parade began, and the crowd also sang, Take Me Out To The Ballgame.

The smell of marijuana smoke soon began wafting through the crowd.

While the crowd skewed younger, it was a true mix of generations, adorned largely in Buster Posey and Pablo Sandoval jerseys, with the occasional nod to all-time home run king Barry Bonds.

There also were myriad signs that read, "Stay Orange, Panda," a reference to Sandoval's pending free agency.

Alberto Rodas, 16, a native of SF and a junior at Gateway High attending his second Giants parade:

"I'm here because of the vibe, because the experience is always fun. It never gets old."

Sandoval is his favorite: "Because he's Latino, and also because he puts so much effort into what he loves to do, and I can relate to that."

As the parade reached the civic center, two of the ballpark's most distinct odors - garlic fries and the aforementioned marijuana smoke - assaulted the senses. Ultimately, the latter won out.