Parade on the fourth

It has been awhile since I attended a 4th of July parade in my hometown. My parents gave up on taking us years ago and coming from NYC, I haven't really wanted to brave the crowds. The parking is impossible, people are squeezed in on every inch of sidewalk and lawn, and then there's the waiting. Waiting for it to start, waiting for the never-ending throngs of fire trucks to eek slowly past and toot their deafening horns, waiting for it to end... The candy obsessed kids, the drunk adults, the cranky grandmas in their lawn chairs. I love every second of it.

I brought my niece this year to introduce her to one of my favorite childhood traditions and found myself charmed by it all over again. It celebrates all that is great about the fourth in a small town. Most of the floats are kind of half baked and the costumes thrown together, but filled with local kids in red sox tee shirts tossing candy to the crowds. The driver moves slowly because they are so preoccupied with waving hello and small talking with practically every person on the street.

This photo is from one particularly cute "underwater" themed float where the featured octopus had miraculously dozed off amidst the celebrations.

Comments

[Steve O]

Brita, I'm so glad I could be there with you and Mia. The icing on the fourth of July cake is I get to read your blog celebration of the event!

[tt]

What a cute octopus!!