Local residents packed the streets this Fourth of July to experience a special tradition steeped deeply in national pride- Massapequa Park’s annual Independence Day parade.
Completing a celebration of the freedoms Americans enjoy as a nation that began Tuesday evening with a fantastic fireworks display in Mansfield Memorial Park, the parade made its way through the streets of Massapequa Park and finishing its patriotic route down Park Boulevard before crowds waving American flags.
Clearly, Wednesday's parade clearly brought out the best of those who gathered to watch it, something that, R-Massapequa, was obviously overcome by.
"The Massapequa Park Independence Day parade is Americana at its finest," he said. "As you come down this street and see all the homes decorated, the children out waving flags, Uncle Sam hats...it just smells of America. It’s great to be in Massapequa Park on the Fourth of July.”
Participating in the parade were local civic and veterans groups and boy scout troops, the the Nassau County Police, and vintage military vehicles and personnel from Farmingdale’s American Airpower Museum.
Today was Denise Enochs’ first taste of the Massapequa Park Independence Day parade, as she had some loved ones participating in it.
“My son and my husband are marching in the parade with the Boy Scouts, Pack 339,” she said. “This is the first time we’ve been here to watch the watch the parade, and it’s so lovely that I think we’ll be back next year.”
Bob Senn, a military veteran, came to pay his respects to his comrades-in-arms.
“I’m here to show my patriotism, and to honor the veterans,” he said. “I’m a Navy vet myself, and the Fourth of July is very important to me.”
Kelly Schmitt has been a regular attendee of the parade for many years, and is now happily introducing her children to it.
“I grew up here in Massapequa Park, and I like to come to the parade every year,” she said. “It’s a lot of fun, and now my kids are going to experience what I experienced.”
