Every event needs a focal point and The Kirkwood July Fourth Parade has the larger-than-life flag in the middle of a road named Independence! This scene on Independence Road in Greensboro’s Kirkwood neighborhood has been reenacted for sixty three years. Anyone can don a red, white, & blue outfit and participate. Yesterday, children on vehicles of all sorts–bicycles, wagons, trucks, tricycles, and even stilts– rode along passing under the giant FLAG. 

Every year, the parade gets a little more elaborate while remaining consistently informal. This year The Honorable Howard Coble was in attendance, Robbie Perkins was handing out bottled water, and the floats of the Guilford County Republican Party brought a little bit of politics to the parade. The sense of family, neighborliness, and camaraderie was evident and more treats were tossed to onlookers than in most city parades. The five o’clock time slot was just perfect, allowing families to enjoy the Fun Fourth festivities downtown in the morning and fireworks at the coliseum/amphitheater in the evening. For those who were too tired to venture out at night, there was plenty of backyard sparkler twirling to bring closure to the festive day.