Nancy works 7-4 tomorrow/the 4th, and me? I get to walk in not one but TWO parades. I'm the parade chairman (okay, the parade sergeant) for the Marquette Area Blues Society's entry. Marquette's parade is at 2PM and Ishpeming, up the road about 15 miles, is at 11.
I remember the parade back in '92 or so. I was working it then -- ham radio operators do the communications to get the thing put together. Anyway - the parade usually was started off by either a siren or maybe gunshots or something - so everyone would know it's time to start. That year -- being that it was during the first Gulf war -- we had a B-52 fly over at maybe a thousand feet at precisely 11AM - starting time. We ALL knew when the parade started that time. It was great. You shoulda heard the crowd cheerin and waving and going all goofy. That's one I won't forget.
Have a safe and happy 4th, on and all. Lots of folks have sacrificed so we could enjoy the day -- so think of them, too.