Parade-palooza to celebrate Independence Day

MARQUETTE — Locals were camped out early Tuesday morning as they got ready for the big parade going through downtown.

Hundreds of people lined the sidewalks of Washington Street earlier this afternoon to watch the city’s parade as community groups paraded in the hot sun, some sporting cool treats, others with candy in hand. Washington was closed from McClelland Avenue to Third Street so spectators could get an up close look at the different floats, vehicles and people marching this year. And most of them had their seats picked out well in advance.

“And the great thing that I think about the parade is if you go downtown at about 6 am, you’ll see chairs where people stake their claim to a piece of property for their chairs so they can watch the parade,” said Tom Baldini, Fireworks Committee Chair. “It’s very early in the morning for them, but they do it.”

Everyone from political candidates and athletes to musicians and local royalty turned out to say hello to onlookers. There were even some furry friends that came out to support a variety of causes. The Fourth of July festivities don’t stop there as fireworks will take place tonight at Lower Harbor at dusk so be sure to go grab a seat before all the good ones are taken.