The only predictable part of the Spirit Lake 4th of July Parade is the VFW entry at the very beginning, carrying flags and marching solemnly along the 6-block parade route. Other than that, the parade is a complete surprise. Anyone can join in; no registration or entry fee is required. You simply show up at the elementary school at 10:00 and get in line. The parade starts at 11:00, and is over by 11:30.
This year's participants included kids on bicycles, scooters, and hoverboards; adults driving ATVs, classic cars, antique vehicles, souped-up lawnmowers, motorcycles, and pickups, some of which were towing boats; a church-sponsored float of modest size; a group of people from the local PTO walking together; groups of friends and relatives cavorting around; and a group of fiddlers playing in the back of a pickup. Nearly all participants and/or their vehicles were decked out in red, white and blue decor, giving a highly festive air to the occasion.
A parade out west wouldn't be complete without a few horses, and there were just a few near the end of the parade. (A good place for them, considering what they tend to leave behind.) I loved the two miniature horses pulling a miniature stagecoach. Absolutely adorable!
The only large, impressive entries were the fire truck and EMS truck, and (best of all) the bookmobile and the library network's STEAM bus, which is actually an articulated bus, or "bendy bus." That's not the sort of vehicle one normally sees in the tiny town of Spirit Lake!
My phone is permanently dead and won't be replaced until later today, and my old camera has gotten quirky, so I didn't take any photographs this year. It was quite relaxing to sit in the shade and watch the parade and not worry about taking pictures.
There is new irony to this year's 4th of July celebrations. It's all about freedom, and yet 2020 showed how quickly and efficiently our freedoms can be destroyed by power-hungry tyrants disguised as well-meaning "authorities." Many of our freedoms are now gone, and may never return. New infringements on our rights as Americans are constantly being plotted. Our democracy has lasted longer than most; are we living in its last days? I wonder.