The Statue of Liberty stood only a few feet tall, but it was hard to miss. Alongside the route for Evanston’s annual Fourth of July Parade on Saturday, its torch stretched toward the bright sky as neighbors admired the handmade display before settling into their lawn chairs.
Beside the statue, 6th Ward resident Fredrika Harper smiled as parade attendees wandered past, many dressed from head to toe in red, white and blue.
“We made her out of paper mache, and we just wanted to focus on the positive, on liberty for everybody,” Harper said.
Harper said she and her husband spent about two weeks creating the display, hoping it would offer a reminder of unity as Evanston celebrated the United States’ 250th anniversary. The display was one of many ways residents brought their own traditions to the celebration.
Hosted by the Evanston Fourth of July Association, the annual Fourth of July Parade kicked off on Central Street at 2 p.m., featuring 76 floats and drawing residents from Evanston and beyond.
From longtime neighbors staking out parade spots before sunrise to families introducing young children to the holiday and vendors surveying the crowds, Evanston’s Fourth of July parade showcased the many ways residents celebrate the holiday.
Hours before the parade officially began, residents had already transformed Central Street into an outdoor living room. Folding chairs stretched down the sidewalks, many tucked behind taped-off sections reserved the night before.
Children colored the pavement with chalk while bubbles drifted over wagons packed with snacks and coolers. Dogs sporting patriotic bandanas trotted between blankets as neighbors greeted one another. The whole scene was underscored by marching bands playing “You’re a Grand Old Flag.”
For Evanston resident Chris Milkovich, this year’s celebration was especially meaningful. Dressed as a Founding Father, he stood with family, including his 3-month-old baby, looking forward to sharing the tradition while marking the country’s milestone birthday.
“We had to celebrate big for America’s 250th,” he said.
Not far away, Chicago resident Tariq Zalkhtaib prepared for a busy day behind the window of his ice cream truck. As children pointed excitedly toward frozen treats and parents reached for their wallets, a steady line formed long before the afternoon heat reached its peak.
While handing chocolate chip ice cream sandwiches through the window, Zalkhtaib said he’s learned to expect the rush each year, and the parade crowd naturally becomes one of his longest lines of the summer.
“The crowd is incredible today,” Zalkhtaib said. “Everyone is in an especially good mood, and that kind of thing is what makes me love my job.”
Around the ice cream truck, the parade kept moving, but the sidewalks stayed just as alive. Children eagerly waited for the parade to begin with wide smiles.
Sharp cracks rang through the air as children flung Pop-Its fireworks at the pavement, laughing while reflecting the long-standing tradition of families gathering on the same streets year after year to mark the Fourth of July.
As drums grew louder and the first parade floats came into view, hundreds of spectators watched from their lawn chairs, waving at the passing performers. On a morning filled with symbols of patriotism and messages calling for change, Evanston’s Fourth of July celebration became a portrait of community members expressing what liberty meant to them.
For Harper, however, the day was about more than decorations or tradition. She said her statue invited people to pause, reflect and start conversations.
“I just love to see the community come together,” Harper said.
Pepper Chai is a student in the Medill-Northwestern Journalism Institute this summer.
Email: [email protected]
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