The Park Hill Fourth of July Parade, held for the sixth time Saturday, is fast becoming a local institution. That might be because the neighborhood is a microcosm of the nation: diverse, young and brimming with optimism.
Led by a contingent from the Colorado National Guard, the parade included about 700 participants and about 5,000 spectators. Even after years of growth, the parade maintains its neighborhood feel.
“I feel like it’s ours,” said Pat Comeaux, 61, who has lived in Park Hill for 14 years and was joined at the parade by her 11-year-old beagle, Parker. “It’s just a wonderful community that’s very diverse, and I think because of our diversity we’re always trying to meet and greet our neighbors.”
Quentin Burrell, 46, was at the parade with his wife and two children, back in the neighborhood in which he was raised, and where his mother still lives.
“It makes it seem like it’s a small town parade in a big city,” he said, as his children sat on the curb, blowing bubbles into the summer breeze.
The parade included all the mainstays, from candidates for office and vintage automobiles to candy flung from the back of trucks for gleeful children. It also had local flair, like the karate group from Tiger Kim’s Academy who chopped wooden boards with their hands and feet.
“Just showing what we can do and passing the boards out to the people is really cool,” said Petros Petrides, 11, of Denver. For him and his brother Angelo, 9, putting on a show for a patriotic crowd is good practice — they hope to go to the Olympics someday, they said.
The candy-tossing damsels of Miss Colorado’s Miss American Coed Pageants were among the most popular participants.
“All the kids get excited to see the queens,” said Aubrey Kerr, 19, who said it was her first parade. That she had a 5-ound bag of candy with her doubtless contributed to the warm welcome.
Matthew Nussbaum: 303-954-1666, mnussbaum@ or
