Residents, Visitors Brave Heat For Annual July 4 Parades

 The country’s 250th anniversary was the major theme in parades celebrating Independence Day in Orleans and Chatham on Saturday, July 4.

 Revolutionary attire, red, white and blue colors and patriotic music contributed to the festivities, which saw big crowds and heavy parade participation. 
 
The parades carried some extra significance with this year’s semiquincentennial celebration, and parade goers didn’t hold back in celebrating the historic milestone. All along the Orleans parade route, which began at Nauset Regional Middle School and followed along Eldredge Park Way, Route 6A, Main Street and Route 28, adults and children alike sported their American colors and donned festive outfits, while children eagerly waited for candy to be tossed from the passing parade floats.

 The same can be said for Chatham, where Main Street and Crowell Road were packed with spectators eagerly cheering the many patriotic-themed floats.
In Orleans, the Fritz Haubner Memorial Cup for this year’s best overall float was awarded to the Nauset Lifeguards and Nauset Lifeguards Alumni Association, while second and third place awards were given to the Lower Cape Outreach Council and The Farm. 

 In Chatham, the Phillips Farm Family kept up its long street of winning first place in the parade with a float that featured a miniature replica of downtown Chatham and a lighthouse staffed by keepers watching for ships at sea (or maybe pirates in the parade?). 

 Second place in Chatham went to the Chatham Municipal Airport, with the Chatham Marconi Maritime Center/Marconi-RCA Wireless Museum taking third. Best Youth Entry under 18 was the Proulx-Lynch Family; the Most Patriotic Entry went to Muto Construction; the ever-popular Pogo Dave captured Funniest; the Magner Family won Best Family Entry; Best Civic Entry was Witches On the Water; and the Grateful Mug won best Business Entry.

 The parade went off smoothly — with a few exceptions (see related story in section 1) — and the earlier start time and prohibition of vehicle parking on Main Street helped, said Independence Parade Committee Chair Steve DeBoer. The lack of vehicles parking along the parade route “increased the viewing area tremendously” and improved safety during and after the parade, he said. Chief of Police Michael Anderson, who marched in the parade, his last before his retirement later this month, agreed that the parking change “made the viewing experience safer.” He credited the preparation and planning done by Lt. Sarah Harris with helping to keep the parade operating smoothly.

 He estimated the crowd at “well over” 30,000.