Canonsburg celebrates 4th with annual parade
Valerie Carr of Canonsburg, center, laughs after petting a few of the dogs from Pet Search that walked along the parade route in Canonsburg on Saturday, July 4.
The Canonsburg parade started on time at 10 a.m. on Saturday, July 4. The parade lasted several hours with bands, dance groups, fire trucks and veterans marching in the parade.
Faith Davis, 6, of Canonsburg shows off her American pride by sporting red,white and blue during the parade.
Dave Crawley from KDKA was the Canonsburg’s celebrity grand marshal during the 2015 parade.
A veteran with the VFW post 191 waves to the crowd while riding on a float in the Canonsburg 4th of July parade on Saturday, July 4.
Willie Walker walks with the VFW post 553 during the Canonsburg parade on Saturday.
A line of classic cars make their way down Pike Street in Canonsburg during the parade on Saturday.
Veterans march down the parade route in Canonsburg on Saturday, July 4.
Kayla Bedillion gets a flag from Jerry Strennen with the St. John the Baptist Orthodox Church who passed them out to parade-goers.
Kids swarm the Sarris candy truck during the parade. Sarris was a popular part of the parade as the company passed out chocolate covered pretzels.
Chartiers-Houston cheerleaders perform a dance routine to music during the parade.
Few Fourth of July parades, if any, rival the borough of Canonsburg’s celebration.
And Saturday’s Independence Day parade did not disappoint.
The colossal parade – the second-largest in Pennsylvania, next to Philadelphia’s – drew an estimated 50,000 red,white and-blue-clad spectators who clapped and cheered as nearly 150 units marched the route along Pike Street.
Fire engines, plenty of antique cars, veterans groups, politicians, police officers, more than a dozen floats and local high school bands made their way through downtown Canonsburg. New to the parade, which has been an annual tradition since 1962, were a military band, the Pittsburgh Pipe and Drum Band, and the Pirate Parrot.
On light posts and telephone poles throughout town, banners of local veterans who served in combat, and 150 new American flags donated by Weavertown Environmental and Slovenian Savings & Loan Association were on display.
Ellie Warrington, 39, is a Canonsburg native who moved to Pensacola, Fla., 20 years ago. But she and her husband, Erik, drive the 15 hours to her hometown every July 4 so that she can attend the parade.
“I’ve been coming since I was little. I love everything about the parade,” said Warrington, whose two children, Jayden, 14, and Karley, 9, enjoy the patriotic small town celebration.
For Bethany West, an elementary school teacher at Borland Manor in Canon-McMillan School District, Saturday’s Independence Day parade was the first she ever attended.
West brought along her two sons, Cole, 3, and Ryder, 1, along with her nieces, Ashley and McKenna, ages 9 and 7 respectively, who were visiting from North Carolina.
“The kids are very excited. They’ve gotten flags, lollipops and balloons and they’ve been looking forward to it,” said West. “I’ve been teaching in Canon-Mac for a long time and I had to come to a parade.”
Longtime Canonsburg architect Robert McCarthy, who retired from his business this year at age 87, and KDKA news personality Dave Crawley, who served as the parade’s celebrity grand marshal, were presented with citations of commendation by Canonsburg Mayor David Rhome.
McCarthy, who designed buildings for businesses throughout the borough and Washington County over the decades, including the Canonsburg Roll R Skate and the ambulatory care department of Canonsburg Hospital, has opened up the doors of his Pike Street office every Fourth of July and provided coffee and donuts.
On hand to watch was McCarthy’s daughter, Christine Kaezyk of Houston, whose grown children attended the parade with her.
“This is our favorite holiday, other than Christmas. On the Fourth of July, you have to honor our country,” said Kaezyk, tearing up. “The people of Canonsburg make this parade special because of the pride they take in our town, in the country, and for the men and women who have served their country.”
The parade – which included favorite staples like the Wonders Unicycle Club, the Shriners and the New Orleans Riverside Band – lasted about two hours, and a cloudy morning gave way to sunshine as it progressed.
Paradegoers showed up early, many getting to the chairs they placed along the borough’s main drag two days earlier by 9 a.m., and munched on snacks they had packed in coolers or bought at food booths set up on lawns.
The Fourth of July celebration got underway with the annual Whiskey Rebellion 5K run, which drew an estimated 700 runners.
The borough’s festivities didn’t end when the parade was over. Several activities were held at Town Park, and the day culminates with the massive fireworks display near the Canon-McMillan stadium.
Said Crawley to paradegoers, “Seeing the parade from the inside out is just as great as seeing it the way you are. You guys are great.”