Thursday, June 30, 2022

Get Out! And March in a Parade on the 4th of July (or Just Watch a Parade)

by Peggy Robin
 
The year 2022 is the nation's 246th Independence day --and although it seems the state of our Republic is a bit tattered and frayed of late, we still want to wish it a very happy birthday. 
 
DCist has a list of places and ways to celebrate the day, listing events in and around the city, and I can't improve on it:


However, I do want to highlight the parade that is the closest thing Cleveland Park has to a neighborhood parade: It's  the Palisades Parade, now in its 56th (!) year, made up of so many different creative hobby groups, colorful cultural groups, sports teams, and civic organizations, plus all the usual folderol of marching bands, dance troupes, glad-handing politicians, classic cars, funny floats, and everything else you could want from a traditional Fourth of July Parade. It's never too long or too fancy, and everyone is invited to join right in, no registration required. 
 
The parade starts at 11 AM at the corner of Whitehaven Parkway and MacArthur Boulevard and ends at the Palisades Recreation Center (MacArthur and Sherier Place), where there's live music, a picnic, and activities for the kiddies.
 
Bring a bag to collect the candy, beads and other trinkets that may be tossed out by marchers or by people on top of the floats.
 
You should also bring your own water -- although there undoubtedly will be people handing out free water bottles, too. But why wait for that?
 
Here's a bit of last year's parade to show what it's like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vc4lqIEIJYs
 
And for those not planning to attend a fireworks show in the evening, here's one you can enjoy anytime, without the smoke, crowds, or unruly kids near you setting off their own risky, eardrum shattering rockets:
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The "Get Out" event of the week is posted on the Cleveland Park Listserv and on All Life Is Local on Thursdays. 

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