The 113-year-old Morgan Hill Independence Day Parade will feature Morgan Hill teenagers who participate in the community's music, athletic and other special interest programs.
Morgan Hill adults remark that the event has grown from a simple bicycle and horse showcase to an extravagant festival that attracts 50,000 people. But throughout the century, the parade has always included youth who are involved with the community.
The Pride of Morgan Hill Girls Softball float will include two trucks carting trailers that will be decorated with softball gear. The home and auto insurance agency Allstate and its representative David Fent have collaborated with local high school Interact clubs. Their float's theme "Drive it Right" will discourage teenagers from driving under the influence of alcohol.
Teenagers from around California who won the challenging four-part test given by the California State Horsemen's Association also will march in the parade. One winner, Tula Urban, is a local girl who attends Britton Middle School. Horsemen teen Royalty winners travel throughout California to represent their organization. Additionally, the Sobrato Future Farmers of America members will march along with the Sobrato Cheerleaders who will perform in the parade.
The parade officially starts at 10 am, but at 9 am the Live Oak Jazz Band will initiate the festivities by performing at Dunne Avenue, followed by local teen vocalists.
Numerous outstanding high school music programs bring soul to this local celebration. The Sobrato "Swing" Marching Band, led by Erik Kalish, will entertain the crowd with music genres that include jazz, rock and pop. Also, the Live Oak Marching Band, led by Greg Bergantz, will perform at the parade. In addition, former Acorn band members will be marching in the Live Oak Emerald Regime Alumni Drumline. This group includes adults who graduated from Live Oak between the early 1980's to the 2000's. Each year, they perform their own original Cadence, a drumline song that they wrote to commemorate their years as teenage musicians.
The Morgan Hill Independence Day parade is so popular that even high schools from San Jose participate. The Oak Grove Band and Oak Grove ROTC programs will march in the parade along with Union Middle School's Marching Tigers Band. Also, Vernon Miyata, another Live Oak band alumnus, will conduct the Arroyo High School Marching Dons of San Leandro.
Terri Koehn Parks, a Morgan Hill mom, remembers riding her palomino horse, Taffy, in the parade as part of the Morgan Hill Community Theater float. She was in the last class to graduate from Live Oak when it was located at its former site--Britton Middle School. Carrie Britton Williams, another Morgan Hill mom, played the flute for the Live Oak Marching Band in the parade. She graduated in the class of 1979. Both women recall that there were many horses that marched through the parade. During that era the parade's route began at Del Monte Avenue, went through the back streets of Britton Middle School and wound up near the old library.
An important teen club that participated in the parade was the agricultural-based 4-H club. George Thomas, a teen member of the 4-H club in the early 1970's, recollects selling snow cones, the first refreshments ever sold at the parade. In the 1960's, reports Mr. Thomas, the 4th of July parade included only Morgan Hill children, who rode their bicycles down the street, searching for the man who handed out free popsicles. Thomas also added that Maureen and Bob Hunt, the organizers of today's parade, "do a heck of a job." The Hunts, along with numerous community volunteers, are responsible for the parade's tremendous expansion over the years.
When you watch the parade this Friday, July 4, you will observe Morgan Hill teenagers participating in this great community celebration, upholding the 113-year-old tradition of an active youth that contributes immensely to the spirit in the Independence Day Parade. Also, think of those former teens who have marched before them; they are sitting right next to you on the sidewalk.
Catherine Connor is a senior at Ann Sobrato High School. Reach her at cthrnpm@aol.com.
Catherine Connor
Catherine Connor Catherine Connor is a junior at Ann Sobrato High School. She writes a monthly youth column for the Morgan Hill Times. She can be reached at cthrnpm@aol.com.
Although the Morgan Hill Times does not have any obligation to monitor this board, the Morgan Hill Times reserves the right at all times to check this board and to remove any information or materials that are unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane, indecent or otherwise objectionable to the Morgan Hill Times in our sole discretion and to disclose any information necessary to satisfy the law, regulation, or government request. The Morgan Hill Times also reserves the right to permanently block any user who violates these terms and conditions. All threats to systems or site infrastructure shall be assumed genuine in nature and will be reported to the appropriate law enforcement authorities. Submission of any comments will be considered permission to use online or in print.
Behind the brews: the origin and making of El Toro beers
