When I was a kid growing up in a southeast suburb of Milwaukee every 4th of July was the same. We had a tradition. Dad would drop us kids off at the high school where the parade was lining up. He and Mom would park at the VFW and Dad would help set up the free ice cream and soda for the kids walking in the parade.
Each elementary school had a section, the high school marching band, the old timey fire trucks, tractors and convertibles with the Mayor and various beauty pageant winners. We walked in the parade every year for our elementary school.
Did you notice the part where I typed that the kids walking in the parade got ice cream and soda? Yeah, you didn’t think we just did it for the tradition did you? There were orange push-ups for the little kids and the rest got ice cream cups with a wooden spoon. There was pop too. Orange Fanta, Rootbeer, and RED Fanta. I don’t know what that flavor was, but it was the sweetest soda on the planet. If you were lucky enough to score a Red Fanta you got the biggest sugar rush ever, if you ate part of the ice cream and then made yourself a lil Red Fanta float. Do they still sell Red Fanta? It’s not Strawberry, not cherry, not fruit punch, it’s just RED.
After the ice cream and soda there were the usual contests: cutest baby, best decorated bike, and baseball games. At dusk there were fireworks. And of course the beer was flowing in the VFW hall. We always left after my Dad helped clean up after the ice cream and soda. We weren’t into watching the ball games or the contests. After I got my first car we’d go back later for the fireworks and meet up with our friends.
Living in Chicago when my kids were little we didn’t know of any 4th parades, so it was a good excuse to drive up for my hometown parade. We’d pack a picnic basket or bring the Hibatchi and hot dogs, spread a blanket on the grass on a prime viewing spot. High enough to see, but low enough so the kids could catch Bazooka gum thrown when the fire trucks passed by.
Making the long drive every year and having to do all the packing and driving got too much with my long hours at the village. I found a parade near Chicago, in Skokie that we started to go to. They didn’t have the ice cream and soda, but they did have the Shriners in those tiny cars, and I got pretty adept at finding parking close.
Nowadays we really don’t do anything for the 4th. Our burb does do a parade. They close off a main street nearby. It’s drop off or walk. We will bbq. We’re having ribs (thank you Jewel and your buy 1 rack, get 2 Free!) I’m planning on making homemade potato salad in the Instant Pot. My daughter has to work...4pm-8pm. What a crummy shift! We’ll be driving home right about the time all the neighborhood shenanigans start. (Illegal fireworks.) I’m not a spoil sport, if you want to drive to Indiana, spend a paycheck or 2 on illegal fireworks and blow off a couple fingers, go for it. If you want to shoot them off everyday the week before, the week of, and for a month after, gah! Not a fan! I really am very glad to be in the burbs. When I lived in Chicago there would be gunshots all night. Here in the burbs we might get 1 hillbilly shoot off a rifle, but it’s not sounding like a war zone in Chicago.
I was so looking forward to chillin with some brewski’s, or Lime-a-Rita’s. Just relaxing. Hopefully I can get some chillin in before bedtime. Lol!
Enjoy the 4th! If you must diy your own spectacular fireworks display, be safe. If you can’t be safe...have good insurance.
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