The parade was special for two former Waipukurau residents Brian Holmes and John Fulford, who bumped into one other on the street after not seeing each other for many years.
Their fathers had started Fulford and Holmes, a menswear store on Ruataniwha St in the late 1940s, which is now Story's Clothing.
Mr Fulford, who now lives in Te Awamutu, said he could remember working at the store during the Christmas holidays while at school.
He recalled whenever anyone got a new car back then they would drive it down Ruataniwha St and there would be crowds of people six-deep looking at it.
The town has changed since then and is a lot fresher and cleaner, he said.
Mr Holmes, who lives in Coromandel, said he was a bit younger when the store opened but could remember going into the back room for cups of tea.
"My dad used to ride his bike to work and all the young farmers would come here to buy their Aertex shirts which you can still get here."
Their fathers had the store for nearly 30 years and it still has a similar layout but has been refurbished to look more modern, he said.
The pair were in Waipukurau for the town's anniversary celebrations and were also attending the Waipukurau Primary School 150th jubilee later that day.
As part of the celebrations there was also five vintage railcar shuttle trips operating on Saturday between Takapau, Waipukurau and Otane aboard the Pahiatua Railcar Society's vintage 1938 RM31 rail car, which regularly travelled the Hawke's Bay line from 1938 until 1970.
Yesterday George and Beth Winlove opened their home to host The Garden Tea Party at Glenora Homestead, with proceeds from raffles going to the Central Hawke's Bay Cancer Society.
