Bands, banners, bunting, burros, beer, booths, brave soldiers
and their moms, all were part of the grand observance of the
nation’s 230th birthday in century-old Morgan Hill.
By Tony Burchyns and Marilyn Dubil
Morgan Hill – Bands, banners, bunting, burros, beer, booths, brave soldiers and their moms, all were part of the grand observance of the nation’s 230th birthday in century-old Morgan Hill.
An estimated 25,000 spectators enjoyed the community’s 112th July Fourth parade, which featured guests from all over the state.
The parade was one of several patriotically themed events held every summer in Morgan Hill. The festivities began June 30 with the 10th Annual Firecracker Golf Classic, and continued on July 3 with the Patriotic Sing at Britton Middle School, a popular concert given by local elementary school students that drew an estimated crowd of 1,000 people.
The celebration also included a downtown street dance that attracted more than 8,000 people to Monterey Road and Second Street.
Entries in the 90-minute parade included farmers riding vintage tractors, a variety of equestrian groups, clowns and novelty acts, nine marching bands and 22 colorfully adorned floats.
Nearly 300 entries paraded around the route that began at Monterey and Fourth Street, continuing north to West Main Avenue, then west to Peak Avenue, south to West Dunne Avenue, and finally east to Monterey Road again, passing the judges’ stands on the south side of Dunne Avenue just before turning onto Monterey and ending at Fifth Street.
Spectators staked their claims to spots along the route early with blankets and folding chairs. Some businesses provided special spots for employees and their families with tarps, chairs, even coolers filled with drinks and food.
Downtown eateries did a brisk business selling coffee, water, sodas and food to the crowds.
Youngsters at the edge of the route were handed flags, candies, postcards and other goodies by some parade entries.
Military groups, including “Blue Star Moms,” a support-through-service group representing families of those serving in the armed forces, received standing ovations from flag-waving parade goers.
Four-H groups that followed behind equestrian units and residents of Pacific Hills Manor, in wheelchairs pushed by staff and volunteers, were also greeted with bursts of applause from parade watchers.
California State Horsemen Association member Roxanne Grubb, who judged the equestrian categories, said the down-home feel of Morgan Hill’s parade makes it a popular choice for people who travel far and wide to participate.
“They’re not in the big city, they’re not just a ‘number,’ ” said Grubb, a school teacher who lives in the Merced area.
Even so, Grubb said she noticed slightly fewer horses this year. She suggested high gas prices played a role in deterring some horse handlers from hauling heavy trailers. “Like most people, they aren’t traveling far away because of economics.”
Crowds packed Morgan Hill’s downtown along the parade route, many sitting in folding chairs they had brought from home.
“It’s a fun family time,” said longtime Morgan Hill resident Kelley Barnes, who attended with her husband and two young children. Barnes said her 4-year-old daughter especially liked the horses and fire trucks.
“It’s like an old-fashioned, small-town, back-East kind of celebration that you don’t often see in California,” she added.
Before the event, more than 90 custom classic cars cruised the 2-mile-long parade route, offering folks a glimpse of the beautifully restored machines in action.
VIPs in the parade included California State Treasurer Phil Angelides, Santa Clara County Supervisor Don Gage, Morgan Hill Mayor Dennis Kennedy, several of the city’s former mayors, international delegations from Morgan Hill’s sister cities and honored guest Belle McCormick, a 100-year-old local resident whose birthday predates Morgan Hill’s incorporation in 1906.
Arroyo High School, located in San Lorenzo, took the honors for best marching band, while Oak Grove High School supplied this year’s best flag team.
Organizers said this year’s event went smoothly, despite one fire truck having to leave in the middle of the parade to attend an emergency.
After the parade, thousands of spectators stuck around for a downtown street festival, featuring live blues rock, barbecued food, local wineries and children’s games.
A dunk tank featuring Morgan Hill City Council members was among the popular attractions.
Councilmen Steve Tate and Larry Carr drew big crowds of optimistic pitchers; Independence Day, Inc. organizers sometimes helped the smaller participants along by hitting the target for them, sending Tate and Carr into the murky waters as they taunted the throwers.
Live Oak High School Principal Nick Boden took his turn.
“This was great,” he said. “I’ve never seen a celebration for the Fourth quite like this.”
One festival-goer was wishing his principal had taken a turn in the dunking booth.
“If (Sobrato High School Principal) Rich Knapp had been there, I so would have dunked him,” said sophomore Eric Medina-Verbek.
A rock-climbing wall and giant inflated slide were also part of the attraction.
The food, drink and music were the big draw, however, for most adults, with School of the Blues and the All-Star Band performing while the smells of tri-tip sandwiches, coconut-battered shrimp, calamari, sausages and more drew crowds to vendor booths with lines less lengthy than during the Mushroom Mardi Gras, but still respectable.
Several local wineries and breweries weren’t as busy as at other festivals, according to volunteers and employees manning the taps and bottles, but were glad to be a part of the festivities.
“It’s just a nice feeling to be here, to be a part of this celebration,” said Mila Ostojic, a Menlo Park resident who became an American citizen several years ago after spending her childhood in Yugoslavia.
A professional fireworks show by Fireworks America was scheduled to cap the day’s events at 9:30pm at Community Park.
