The United Methodist Church bell struck 11 this morning just
like any other day
– but on the Fourth of July in Morgan Hill, tens of thousands of
visitors fiercely waved the stars and stripes at the start of the
116th annual Independence Day Incorporated Fourth of July parade.
With 199 entries and more patriotic songs and celebration of
American culture packed into one afterno
on than any other place in the Bay Area, the parade drew
generations of families who have made attending a time-honored
tradition.
The United Methodist Church struck bell 11 this morning just like any other day – but on the Fourth of July in Morgan Hill, tens of thousands of visitors fiercely waved the stars and stripes at the start of the 116th annual Independence Day Incorporated Fourth of July parade.
With 199 entries and more patriotic songs and celebration of American culture packed into one afternoon than any other place in the Bay Area, the parade drew generations of families who have made attending a time-honored tradition.
“Going to parades is kind of our thing. It’s our family function. We love it,” said Kendra Hoeft of Gilroy. Since 9:30 a.m., she and a cluster of six children from her family sat on blankets under the glare of the sun. They were some of the more enthusiastic front-row watchers on Monterey Road with tiny American flags and whistles.
The parade has perused downtown Morgan Hill since 1894 with a record-breaking crowd of 45,000 people attending last year’s parade. This year, the IDI added a classic car show on the corner of East Main Avenue and Monterey Road after the parade and a family bike race held Saturday morning.
Similar to many front-row watchers, who have “their spot” picked out every year, was Karen Freeze-Gill, a 1982 Live Oak graduate. She has attended the parade every year since she was a young girl and has both been an onlooker and participant as a driver years ago. Now, she brings her teenage son and husband along to watch.
“Morgan Hill has a sense of magic. There’s nothing like this hometown parade,” Freeze-Gill said. “You can watch and count all of the alumni you know in town that are in the parade. It’s really wonderful.”
The parade route began on Fourth Street turned north onto Monterey and Monterey Road then west on East Main Avenue before turning back south then finishing at Dunne Avenue. The warmth of 85-degrees and little wind kept Monterey Road’s shaded streets packed – in some places eight rows deep onto the tree-lined median. The parade started with the marching in of the American, California and Air Force flags by four members of the armed forces. They were met with a standing ovation by many in the crowd.
Organizations from Morgan Hill, Gilroy and San Jose kept the parade moving from Cub Scout and Boy Scout troops to the Gilroy Garlic Festival Queen in a Ford Mustang convertible to local politicians such as Mayor Steve Tate and Santa Clara County Supervisor Don Gage to the 4-H clubs in the area. The marching bands of Ann Sobrato and Live Oak high schools provided the loudest variation of patriotic music of the morning.
Betty Stiers sat with her three great-grandchildren on East Main Street – the same spot she’s occupied for at least 20 years, she said.
“We’ve always had fun. It’s good for the kids to give them a taste of what it means to be an American and teach them to love their country,” Stiers said. She asked her great-grandson Cyriss Anderson, 9, how many years he had watched the parade.
“All of them,” he responded matter-of-factly. His sister Charlotte, 3, and older brother Corban, 11, slurped on orange popsicles to beat the heat.
“We like the music and we always get free candy and treats,” Corban said.
For Devina Pooni, 22, it was July 4, 2000 that truly made its impression.
It was her family’s first year living in their home on East Main Street neighboring Chase bank.
That morning the Poonis woke up to the crashing of cymbals. The parade came as a sweet surprise.
“This is the epitome of how Morgan Hill does things – big and with a bang. We’re a small community but we do things big. And with that bang,” Pooni said.
Her father and mother were handing our water bottles to the visitors on the sidewalk in front of their home. Each year they buy two extra cases to pass out – it’s their donation to the parade, Pooni said. They’re so hospitable that often they allow strangers to use the home bathroom and throw away trash in their bins.
“We want to make it comfortable for our guests that sit out here. We’ve developed a friendship with people that sit in the same spot every year. ‘We’ll see you next Fourth of July,'” Pooni said.
Every Fourth of July the IDI raises the funds to throw its annual parade and festivities.
At 4 p.m. today Community Park will host more music and food vendors for visitors to enjoy before the fireworks show scheduled for tonight once it gets dark. Spectators will be able to view the show from Community Park or most any other clear, open space in Morgan Hill.
