Jeremiah Williams: Modesto knows how to put on a parade

The 141st annual Independence Day celebration was a another great family fun day. The parade started with our veterans, honor guards and military personnel presenting a 20-by-30 foot American flag flying from an 80-foot boom lift provided by the Modesto fire department. Followed the Pledge of Allegiance and our national anthem (sung by Stephanie Johnson) came an enormous parade. Grand Marshals Judy Kindle of Sierra Vista Children and Family services, Stanislaus County PAL and YES Company founder Melanee Wyatt in a red ’57 Chevy convertible surrounded by 80 talented young people led 120 entries that included high school bands and other musical performers, mounted groups, kids groups, dance groups, floats and finally Uncle Sam proposing to Lady Liberty.

Even before the parade finished, the first All-American Festival began with a flag-raising ceremony. There were 35 food and craft vendors and two bands playing throughout the day.

None of this could have been possible if not for the Modesto Kiwanis Club’s 4th of July parade committee, American Legion Post 74, the Modesto police department, parade judges, city of Modesto and dozens of wonderful volunteers and sponsors who gave generously as 30,000 people came out to celebrate our country’s birthday and the liberties we enjoy.

This story was originally published August 3, 2015 at 5:59 PM with the headline "Jeremiah Williams: Modesto knows how to put on a parade."