Weekend Update: An Old Fashioned 4th of July Parade In Oceanside, California
To celebrate the 4th of July holiday, I'm taking the liberty of presenting a very different kind of column this week. I hope that you will allow me the freedom to depart from our regular format this week and give you a look at an old fashioned Independence Day parade.
Never fear, dear readers, we'll be back next week with more great photo reports from around the world and the Disney world. Thanks for your indulgence.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR COUNTRY!
As many of you know, MickeyMaxx and I make our home in the seaside community of Oceanside. Our city is adjacent to Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, one of the largest military bases in the United States. The proximity to this large military base makes it possible to stage a fantastic Independence Day parade each year. In Oceanside, we call it the Freedom Days Parade and it is held on the first Saturday prior to the 4th of July. This year's parade attracted 5,000 spectators who enjoyed almost 100 parade entries, including the 1st Marine Division Marching Band, the two local high school bands, military vehicles, Pearl Harbor survivors, Girls Scouts, Boy Scouts, the Humane Society, the Bookmobile and many, many others.
MickeyMaxx and I had the privilege of distributing free American flags to the crowds lined up on either side of the parade route. Our job was to drive our patriotically decorated golf cart up and down the street and pass out as many flags as we could before the parade started.
Once the parade began, we hung out on the judging stand and watched the parade go by. Here are some photos that MickeyMaxx shot from the judging stand mixed with some photos taken by our friend and talented photographer Dave Thomas.
The view from the judging stand (between parade entries).
It takes about seventy volunteers to put on the parade.
The parade was led by Girl Scout Troop 1227 carrying the MainStreet Oceanside banner. (MainStreet Oceanside stages the parade every year.) You can see the 1st Marine Division Band behind them.
They were followed by the Young Marines.
The Grand Marshall for the parade was Alex Kapitanski, known throughout our area as "The Flag Man".
Quote:
The theme for the 2009 parade is America’s Landmarks. How fitting that the Mainstreet Oceanside Parade Committee selected Alex Kapitanski as the Grand Marshall for the Freedom Days Parade this year! Kapitanksi is a treasured Oceanside Landmark and his flag displays are a beautiful testament to his dedication and patriotism.
Kapitanksi has been known to North County residents as the “Flag Man” for many years. He has displayed flags on nearly every special occasion in Oceanside and many other communities. It is estimated that Kapitanksi has displayed over 3 million flags in his lifetime.
Kapitanski’s patriotism got its start in Vermont when as a Boy Scout, he learned the importance of our flag and honoring it. He began at an early age to accumulate flags and hang them in honor. His huge collection of flags is carefully displayed and lovingly taken down by him at each event.
He is a decorated World War II veteran who saw active duty in the European Theater. Numerous civic awards and accolades for his devotion to our community have come his way.
We are thrilled to honor Alex Kapitanksi, Oceanside’s Flag Man, as the Grand Marshall of the 2009 Freedom Days Parade.
Kapitanksi has been known to North County residents as the “Flag Man” for many years. He has displayed flags on nearly every special occasion in Oceanside and many other communities. It is estimated that Kapitanksi has displayed over 3 million flags in his lifetime.
Kapitanski’s patriotism got its start in Vermont when as a Boy Scout, he learned the importance of our flag and honoring it. He began at an early age to accumulate flags and hang them in honor. His huge collection of flags is carefully displayed and lovingly taken down by him at each event.
He is a decorated World War II veteran who saw active duty in the European Theater. Numerous civic awards and accolades for his devotion to our community have come his way.
We are thrilled to honor Alex Kapitanksi, Oceanside’s Flag Man, as the Grand Marshall of the 2009 Freedom Days Parade.
The two Oceanside high school marching bands participate each year even though school is out of session. What a great show of community support.
Oceanside High School Marching Band and Color Guard
El Camino Golden Pride Marching Band and Pageantry
Local businesses enter the parade to show support for the community and to get a little publicity.
Tom and Marlynn from Pier View Coffee.
S & R Towing
Surfin' Fire Surf Lessons
The Wells Fargo Stagecoach
Wells Fargo also sent a group of young people down the parade route with little gifts for the spectators.
The giant hot dog is Marty from Dad's New York Hot Dogs. Marty is well known for selling his great hot dogs at the Oceanside beach and the weekly Sunset Market.
Yes, we have one in Oceanside.
The parade also featured some "floats". These are all decorated by the groups that sponsor them.
It wouldn't be a parade without pets - here represented by the North County Humane Society and the Spay Neuter Action Project.
The Shriners
Beauty Queens:
The incredible variety of groups that enter the parade means there is never a dull moment for spectators.
Various groups from Camp Pendleton represent the local military. Many of the Marines stationed on Camp Pendleton live in our community.
This is City Councilman Jack Feller cheering as the parade passes by.
Then, as quickly as it started, the parade ends and the crowd disperses. City crews spring into action, sweeping the streets and taking down the P.A. system.
The city of Oceanside is just fifty minutes south of Disneyland. It boasts three miles of sandy beaches, the west coast's longest wooden fishing pier and is home to the Mission San Luis Rey, known as the "King of the California Missions". For more information, visit the California Welcome Center website at www.visitoceanside.org.
For more information about MainStreet Oceanside, visit www.mainstreetoceanside.com.
Looking for up-to-date reports from Disneyland
including photos, gossip, park schedules and more?
including photos, gossip, park schedules and more?
Visit these MiceChat columns each week:
Andy Castro's Dateline Disneyland
David DarkBeer Michael's In the Parks
Weekend Update will be back next week in our regular format.
Have a great weekend!
Have a great weekend!
And that brings us to the end of another week. Our photographers have just enough time to reload their cameras before we see you all again next weekend. Thank you to all of our wonderful readers, and as always, a huge thank you to our amazing team of global photographers, spies, and gossips:
TDLFAN
Denise nbodyhome Preskitt (mousesteps.com)
SummerInFl (wdwfanpics.com)
sir clinksalot
MickeyMaxx
BigPigletFan
Abominable Snowman
darkfairycthulu
Fishbulb
PhotoMatt
Jack Hollywood 1939 Wixom
CaptPhoebus
A very special thank you to to Dave Thomas for sharing his vision with us.
Your Editor - Rixter
Where have YOU been recently? We invite you to share your photos of theme parks or any other destination that may be of interest to our readers. Please feel free to contact me via MiceChat Private Message (screen name Rixter)
or send me an email: oceansiderick@gmail.com.
or send me an email: oceansiderick@gmail.com.
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Total Comments 14
Comments
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Great update!
Happy 4th of July everyone!Posted 07-04-2009 at 12:39 AM by WheresMickey
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OMG! This was one of the most charming weekend updates ever! A slice of americana to share with the rest of our MC friends from around the world. Yes the floats are a little, (ahem), regional. I believe though that is what gives it's class.
My personal favorite is the shriner in the little car.
Thanks Rixter and MickeyMaxx!Posted 07-04-2009 at 12:44 AM by Fishbulb -
Thanks for such a great update. The photo of Alex Kapitanski was especially striking.Posted 07-04-2009 at 01:30 AM by Sir.Mouse -
TEAR I used to live 15 minutes from Oceanside. I used to live in San Marcos GREAT UPDATE San Diego County really throws some awesome parades especially OceansidePosted 07-04-2009 at 01:59 AM by hurricanefreak -
Thanks so much for sharing! I love hometown parades and this was a great one!Posted 07-04-2009 at 06:36 AM by Silver7 -
Thanks for the update this week! A truly perfect way to start the 4th! Now though I have the Wells Fargo Wagon song from the Music Man in my head.
Happy 4th everyone!Posted 07-04-2009 at 08:48 AM by yoyoflamingo 
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Amazing stuff. Thanks for sharing.Posted 07-04-2009 at 09:40 AM by sir clinksalot - Thank you for your photo's of O'side!! I was born and raised there... even graduated from El Camino! I live in Scotland now and miss the 4th of July parades. You just made my day :o))))Posted 07-04-2009 at 10:55 AM by Jenny75
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A very nice parade, it was a very good choice for Grand Marshall. I wish they had something like that where I live, unfortunately it seems like it wouldn't be "politically correct". Have a fun and safe 4th everyone!Posted 07-04-2009 at 01:29 PM by katy621 -
That's for sharing...it looks like you guys really had some fun.Posted 07-04-2009 at 02:21 PM by MickeyMousePal - Happy 233rd Birthday America! You are looking pretty darn good for your age.Posted 07-04-2009 at 06:30 PM by toemblem
Updated 07-04-2009 at 06:30 PM by toemblem (spelling) -
Happy Birthday America!
Good report very RED,WHITE, and BLUE !
Great time to come together as AMERICAN'S
I think once in while change is nice even get away from
DISNEY!
Disney is not always about holidays ,
we can find it in our Familys and Friends in our own back yard ,towns and city! We here in Huntington Beach having a big Party
July 4th also.......and so again
HAPPY BIRTHDAY EVERY ONE!Posted 07-04-2009 at 07:43 PM by Eagleman
Updated 07-04-2009 at 07:48 PM by Eagleman (fix miss spelling) - Bravo! the best report bar nonePosted 07-05-2009 at 07:12 AM by DCAfanatic
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The beginning of April of this year I took a trip to Disneyland with my new boyfriend for my birthday. This was our first trip together and we had a blast. I had never seen the Pacific so we decided that we would drive down to a beach somewhere before heading back to Las Vegas. He is a bit of a military buff so we went down towards Camp Pendleton and spent the morning in Oceanside, had lunch at a cafe that had surfboards stuck to the walls. It was such a lovely little city! I envy you so much for living there, it looks so great! The feeling I got from there reminded me a lot of the little towns from where I grew up in PA.Posted 07-06-2009 at 02:13 PM by NetteNutt
