Flags flying in the breeze, rhinestones sparkling in the
sunshine, more than 100 entries marched, glided, pedaled and drove
through cheering crowds numbering in the thousands lining Morgan
Hill streets Wednesday morning as the city’s Fourth of July parade,
the official Independence Day parade for Santa Clara County, was
the highlight of the day’s celebration for many.
Morgan Hill – Flags flying in the breeze, rhinestones sparkling in the sunshine, more than 100 entries marched, glided, pedaled and drove through cheering crowds numbering in the thousands lining Morgan Hill streets Wednesday morning as the city’s Fourth of July parade, the official Independence Day parade for Santa Clara County, was the highlight of the day’s celebration for many.
The parade, which dates back to 1894 and is the largest privately organized parade in Northern California, is just one of many events celebrating the nation’s birthday organized by Morgan Hill Independence Day Celebrations, Inc., better known as IDI.
IDI President Alex Kennett said Thursday morning that he estimated 125,000 to 130,000 people participated in this year’s IDI festivities, many of them in more than one event. Approximately 25,000 were on hand in Community Park to watch the fireworks, he said, with perhaps another 25,000 watching offsite.
The festivities actually begin before July, with the Fire Cracker Golf Classic, this year held on June 22. Tuesday, IDI hosted the Patriotic Sing followed by the annual street dance and live concert. Wednesday morning, IDI kicked off the day with a pancake breakfast and the Freedom 5-K run and one-mile walk.
But the parade is perhaps the most glamorous of all the IDI events, drawing crowds not just from Morgan Hill but also surrounding cities.
And it’s just as much fun to participate in the event as to watch it, maybe more.
Summer Brown, 8, said she thought riding on the Barrett Elementary School float was “great,” even though mid-morning temperatures were steamy.
“It was really hot,” she said, as she demonstrated her waving technique for her family at a table shaded by a tent during the afternoon festival.
Her brother, JoJo, 7, said he also rode on the float, but he was more interested in the ice cream treat he was eating than in discussing his parade adventure.
Their cousin, Cami, 5, said her favorite part of the parade was the horses, and this year, there were plenty for her to enjoy, including the Santa Clara County Horsemen, the Gold Coast Arabian Horse Association the Gold Medal Clydesdales, and, for the first time this year, a “singing soprano on a dancing horse.”
Other parade-goers were fond of the horses as well.
Retired San Jose resident Joy Wallingford has been coming to the parade for five years, but this year she brought her childhood friend down from Westchester County, N.Y., right outside of Manhattan.
“This is beautiful small-town America,” said Mary Allen-McAden, Wallingford’s friend who played baritone clarinet during grade school in Ohio, where the two grew up together. Allen-McAden said that experience made her enjoy the parade’s seven marching bands. “I get a kick every time I sing along,” she said.
“My favorite part was the beautiful Andalusian stallion with that big guy on it; he’s incredible,” Wallingford said of the Gold Coast Arabian Horsemen’s Association’s leader, who commanded the lean, gray horse Wallingford admired and stole the crowd’s eyes with his flowing, multi-colored outfit. “I got to find out where he lives,” Wallingford said.
The universal crowd-pleaser, however, was the presence of U.S. Army and Marine personnel. They compelled constant standing ovations as they snaked along the parade’s route.
“All the people really make you proud,” said Sgt. Robert Castello, who rolled by in an active truck for the National Guard’s 2632nd Transportation Company in San Bruno.
“You guys are just great down here,” said U.S. Army Spc. Leslie, who joined Sgt. Castello and served in the parade as his last official duty after 23 years in the service. “This is one of the best parades around.”
The South Bay Blue Star Moms also brought the crowds to their feet and tears to the eyes of many.
Aside from the camaraderie and general air of patriotism, others turned out for the sundry machinery.
“This is an impressive group of vehicles,” boomed an announcer’s voice as the cadre of retired military vehicles rolled down Dunne Avenue shortly after Sgt. Castello’s group.
“The Godfather Lamborghini was legit,” said Micah Jones, 18, who volunteered as a safety marshall for a second year. “We basically make sure nobody runs out into the road,” he said as the retired military vehicles inched past him on Peak Avenue.
“I like all the old cars,” said Ken Keegan, a Scotts Valley resident who drives a ’71 Pontiac and has come to the parade for the past five years with his family. Keegan’s 5-year-old son, Cooper, sat backward in his red lawn chair as the parade passed behind him. “He likes sitting with his grandma,” Keegan said.
As the parade ended, volunteers and vendors quickly transformed the downtown in to a post-parade festival, with plenty of food and drink, even some music and some activities for kids.
Jacob Lane weathered the sun and the grill, cooking garlic chicken kabobs near Second Street for Mediterranean Corner, a start-up company he and his buddy Dan Harney started this year.
“The best part about the parade is that we get to interact with all the people,” Lane said in a cloud of barbecue smoke, standing next to his business partner who said he enjoyed all the music and camaraderie from the festival’s street dance the night before on Monterey Road between Second and Third streets.
In contrast to a new business, the parade has also created family traditions.
“We used to come with our kids, but our kids got older, so now we come with our grandchildren,” said Maria Gonzalez, a local who has been coming to the parade for 15 years with her husband, Rich.
The two were joined by their grandson, John Rokki, 6, who said his favorite part of the parade was Boy Scout Troop 799, “but I don’t want to be one,” he said as his grandmother pointed excitedly at the elderly people from Pacific Hills Manor in wheel chairs festooned with red-white-and-blue ribbons.
“I love this!” Maria said. “The elderly — seeing them out here like this. It’s great.”
Parade organizers Bob and Maureen Hunt said they were pleased with the results this year. Bob said he frequently heard comments, both from participants and from parade-goers, about the variety of entries and how entertaining the parade was.
Parade judges had a difficult time making selections for the various awards. Among the winning entries were the Chico Bavarian Band for best band, Pinnacle Bank for the best float, the Sobrato High School cheerleaders for the best drill team or dance group aged 19 and under and the Morgan Hill Police Department for the best color guard.
Morgan Hill is one of only two cities in the Bay Area that holds all-day events on the July 4 holiday. Following the downtown festival, spectators gather in Community Park for a little music while waiting for nightfall and a spectacular fireworks display.
