Like a ringmaster in a circus, what better figure to lead off the 2011 Saint Stupids Day parade from Justin Herman Plaza out along Market and through the Financial District.

A warm day in Justin Herman Plaza was the perfect weather for a stroll in one's robe. Homemade signs of stupidity abounded.

One man wore a comic hat and add applied black wax to a front tooth. The double layered glasses were a fine finishing touch.

A sign of religious ferver was held overhead. It read, "Touched By God, Struck Dumb." So powerful was the sign that it blew leaves off a nearby tree.

You've head of Mr. Potato Head, well here was Mr. Pumpkin Head.

A stick that may have been a giant match or a dowel with a clown nose jutted from the mouth of a fish. This was to the great amusement of the fish's friend.

A man was being interviewed by a fake reporter about a fake horn that he had built from an old oil can.

The older fellow with pork chop sideburns wound his way past youngsters who had just arrived.

To the steady rhythm of the official Saint Stupids drum, the parade began by winding its way out past booths selling to tourists and onto Market Street.

The three Doggie Diner Dogs on a trailer that always have been the mascot for this parade. They were towed by a pickup truck with a recliner on its bed to follow the parade to each key stopping point.

The first destination and stop for the parade was in front of the Federal Reserve. Four puzzled guards watched the parade pass.

The parade next crossed Market Street and passed into the shade of an office building. The sign here showed a monkey holding the sacred cloth.

Two signs walked into view. One said, "Serfs Up," and the other said, "Repo R Us, We zerro U out!"

Not ashamed of his poverty, one man proudly held a sign that read, "I can't Afford An Actual Sign."

One sign was a very helpful guide to spotting the Looney. It read, "It's Time To Play Spot The Looney." Who is it pointing to in this shot?

One fellow carried a sign that slandered Bishop Joey. The sign read, "Bishop Joey is a known thespian."

The parade arrived at, and overwhelmed the Mechanics Monument at the intersection of Market and Bush Streets.

A man on stilts paused to juggle ceramic plates. Just before this shot was taken, he had missed one plate and it shattered on the sidewalk. Here, he has recovered and is successfully juggling three plates.

The parade next continued toward its conclusion at the plaza behind the E-Trade Financial Building. It was led by its founder, Bishop Joey playing the official bass drum.

The parade passed by the gray side of a bland building, lending it a Felliniesque appearance. The mood was broken when one fellow tripped and fell.

One fellow posed with his long striped arms extended. Those arms were nicely reflected back into his glasses.

Generally one joins a religious parade to pray. This wolf had become confused and instead had brought along prey.

One fellow had attended the parade dressed as a brick wall. Complete with graffiti and yellow caution tape, he posed as if warning away anyone who might wrongly cross his path.

A chalk outline was applied to the sidewalk to show where an alien had fallen dead. Note the highway cone to protect the area from contamination.

One man with a full beard decorated himself with tinsel and led lights. His head was covered with a 1980s mirrored ball Santa hat.

A home made t-shirt with a fine saying on the back. It read, "The genius of Stupidity. Stupid people always end up in charge of geniuses."

A cadre of Veterans of Former Walks were there with their traditional banner.

The parade ended with a third of the people enjoying the sun of the open plaza, a third lined the shade at the back, and yet another third up on the balcony watching in comfort. In the front foreground was a new fountain recently installed and guarded by a lone guard.