4th of July Children’s Parade 2014: Part II

CWEA board member Katie O'Connor (in bright blue dress far right), chairman of this year's 4th of July Children's Parade, did a stellar job of pulling out all the stops for this annual event. Other board members who assisted included Anna Cardot, Jim Dwyer, Dixie Buford, Melody Walker, and Josie Poulton.

The event was truly a neighborhood effort. Engine House 28 dispatched a fire truck to lead the parade; Jim Whyte, Executive Director of the Neighborhood Security Initiative, coordinated traffic control; and the Community Improvement District underwrote Circus Kaput's performance both during the parade and at parade's end. Straub's gave the CWEA its "family discount" on popsicles and lemonade.

The annual parade, now in its 33rd (or 34th) year (here is a link to photos from one of those earlier parades) is a big social occasion for CWEnders, their children, and 4-legged companions. Standing in the back of the photo above is Dr. Keith Fisher (in baseball cap), whose children Matt and Laura (who has children of her own now) participated in those earlier parades. 

Several residents who graciously lent a hand on the 4th are pictured in the group photo above. They include George Knapp and Elizabeth Barnes, Suzanne Miller, "Grand Marshall" Tim O'Connor who followed right behind the fire truck in his bright-red '67 Mustang. Other helpers (not pictured) included CWEnders Cheryl Tadin, Pat Rein, Isabelle and Carolyn Barnes-Knapp, Lauren Few, Jackie Bowe, Trixie Guller, and Maggie Pearson. Alex Pearson and Paraig Farrell carried the banner.

A performer from Circus Kaput was there on stilts…

 

Other Circus Kaput rode unicycles, above.

8 month-old Gigi Stringer shared the wagon with the family pug, above.

Three generations of the Martin family plus canines, above. From left, Bud Martin, Zooey and David Stringer and their daughter Gigi, Barbara Martin, right. Barbara pulled the wagon out of storage and painted it to carry her granddaughter in this year's parade.  Almost thirty years ago the same wagon transported daughters Zooey, and a short-time later, Libby, when the 4th of July Children's Parade had just become an annual neighborhood event. 

Bystanders after the parade had passed them by in front of the Lenox Place gates.

More photos later.