Pendleton doesn’t just have one parade during Round-Up week, it has two, and they are about as opposite in theme as possible. Crowds, though, line the streets of the town to enjoy both.

The Main Street Cowboys get the fun rolling Saturday, Sept. 9, at 10 a.m. with the Dress-Up Parade. The pageant is one of the unofficial starts of Pendleton Round-Up week.

The parade features all kinds of groups, clubs, organizations and individuals waltzing, trotting, driving and dancing through the streets. More than 100 entrants partake in the annual parade, which features classic cars, high school marching bands and floats.

Before the Dress-Up Parade is the Kyle Burnside Dress Up Parade Fun Run.

Participants don costumes and run the 1.5-mile parade route before the parade begins.

The cost of the race is $10.00 for adults and children race free. All proceeds from the race go to the Kyle Burnside Scholarship Fund.

Runners also win awards for best single costume: youth boy, youth girl, high school boy, high school girl, adult male, adult female and best overall group, and overall race male and female win a Main Street Cowboys trophy.

The Dress-Up Parade tends to be for a more local crowd. But the second parade takes place as the town’s population reaches its peak for Round-Up.

Friday, Sept. 15, also starting at 10 a.m, is the Pendleton Round-Up Association’s annual Westward Ho! Parade.

The entirely nonmotorized parade features oxen-drawn covered wagons, Mormon carts, a mounted band and more. The Westward Ho! Parade is another tribute to the early days in the West and to the pioneers whose descendants are participating in the Round-Up.

Paradegoers often stake out prime viewing spots the night before, but even sidewalks fill up, there’s room to take in the unique scene of the Westward Ho!

The two parades, though, have a few things in common.

They take the same route, starting on Southwest Dorion Avenue in front of Pendleton City Hall, heading east until turning north onto Southeast Fifth Street, then a block later turn west onto Southwest Court Avenue and parade right on down to the Pendleton Convention Center.

The parades also begin with the blast of a canon announcing their starts.

And participants in the parades sweeten the fun along the route, tossing candy curbside to children. Or even adults.