BELLEFONTE — Come rain or shine, the Logan Fire Company was going to hold its 40th annual parade Saturday evening.

Crowds lining Allegheny and East Bishop streets in downtown Bellefonte sat through a little of both.

Dark clouds started rolling into Bellefonte just before 5 p.m., minutes before the parade was scheduled to start.

Lightning bolts could be seen beyond the Centre County Courthouse as the first few firetrucks rolled by. Thunder could be heard above the roar of the Go- Karts rolling up and down the street.

Soon the rain came. Cheerleaders stood stoic as the raindrops started to fall. Girl Scouts, unfazed, continued tossing candy to the crowd.

Many who had picked out their spots along Allegheny Street abandoned chairs, seeking cover under the awnings of downtown businesses.

Others didn’t seem to mind. Some stayed planted under umbrellas; others, like 8-year-old Haylee Marucci, simply sat in the rain.

Haylee said the raindrops felt good after the boiling hot and humid day. Temperatures reached the upper 90s during the afternoon.

Those who stuck out the rain were rewarded as skies cleared for the second half of the parade. Adults returned to their seats, and children scrambled into the street to pick up candy they missed during the rain.

Children and parents alike had something to cheer for Saturday, from the candy, to the marching bands, to the antique firetrucks.

In the end, Haylee couldn’t point to what she liked best. “I don’t have a favorite,” she said. “I like it all.”

The parade featured fire companies, twirling groups and marching bands from across Centre County.

All braved the heat, then the wind and ran, during the 45- minute route, from Bellefonte Elementary School along Allegheny Street to Bishop Street, ending at the Bellefonte Armory grounds.

Matt Carroll can be reached at 231-4631. Follow him on Twitter@Carrollreporter.