On the morning of the Parade, Saturday 4th October 2008, the Hands of Respect were driven to Towson Senior High School, Michael Phelps' high school, where the Towson High School Band climbed aboard the trailer and surrounded the hands while playing their music. NBC televised the event and showed it live on their Saturday morning show.
Mid-afternoon, an estimated 30,000 people turned out on a stunning Autumn Day in Baltimore Maryland, to celebrate the Parade of Gold, saluting Olympians including arguably the world's greatest athlete, Michael Phelps.
The Hands of Respect float had the company of eight Windsor Mill Middle School kids who had won a competition at their school (Ms Debbie Phelps is the Principal), plus a favourite teacher, Miss Tiki Love. Bruce and Anne Gallash carried the Windsor Mill Middle School banner in front of the float. The parade had 55 floats and bands and covered 1.6 miles along York Street.
The Hands of Respect sculpture attracted much attention with many questions as to how, why, where, what and when and many people had their photographs taken with them.
