If you picture in your mind what a quaint, small-town red, white, and blue celebration looks like, the 4th of July festivities in my hometown of Canfield, Ohio is probably what comes to mind.

Each year in the middle of summer, the Village Green in the center of town bursts into a frenzy of patriotic celebration. A glorious parade, a “Firecracker” 5K run, snow cones, and camaraderie among old classmates bring everyone together around our iconic white gazebo. It fills me with great joy thinking about how the cheer and whimsy from this event would give the fictional town of Mayberry from The Andy Griffith Show a run for its money.

Over the years, the parade and activities have expanded and changed a bit, but the aura of Independence Day still feels as distinct as it did back in the 1970s. One segment of the parade that has persisted for years is the bike decorating contest, hosted by the Canfield Junior Women’s League, a women’s volunteer organization of which my mom was an original member. July 3 was a big day in our neighborhood as we worked feverishly to get our bikes decked out for the possibility of winning a ribbon for our creativity. We adorned our banana seat bikes with red, white, and blue crepe paper in the tire spokes, flags, paper flowers, and balloons. The bolder the better! I still remember the patriotic shield that embellished my brother’s bike and the yellow flowers on the front of my sister’s. The highlight was riding our bikes with a whole slew of kids along the parade route, and when we finished, a snow cone was a welcomed treat to cool down in the July sun. 

Another steadfast element of the Canfield 4th of July celebration is the parade floats. In the last ten years or so, most of the decorated platforms carry church members, local politicians, baseball teams, and even businesses. However, there was nothing quite like the homemade floats from the 1970s. In my opinion, the best-handcrafted float debuted around 45 years ago. It was the infamous Boy Scout Eagle: a huge mechanical, wing-flapping bird with a flag banner hanging from its mouth. My dad was a part of the troop that created this masterpiece. After all these years, I can still picture it rumbling down Broad Street on the back bed of a tractor. If you know some of the old-timers from Canfield, I’m quite certain they would remember its beauty and workmanship. When watching his last parade before his passing, dad still talked with pride about his beloved Boy Scout Eagle. There is nothing better than reminiscing about all the parades that, quite literally, rolled down the center streets of Canfield.

July 4, 2020, would have been my 52nd year attending the Canfield parade, but unfortunately, there won’t be one this year due to the pandemic. I will be thinking about friends, family, and many other memories that I will eventually share details about including an old car, a sparkling flag pin, an engagement, and a cat named Smokey. In the meantime, I’m pretty sure I’ll be having red, white, and blue-colored dreams thinking about my Canfield parade, with Barnie Fife from The Andy Griffith Show waving his flag somewhere in the crowd. Happy 4th of July!