Friday, July 4, 2014
Yesterday was Independence Day and in typical style it was time for Americans to be Americans and that means parades, food, games, music, floats, flags and veterans. The Marietta Freedom Parade wound its way down Roswell St. and into the historic Marietta Square and Glover Park as floats, veterans, cars, adults and kids marched for two hours in the unseasonably mild July morning. Close to 30,000 spectators were expected to line the route of the parade which kicked off the bigger Marietta Fourth in the Park celebration which included the food vendors, children’s games, an arts and crafts fair, live music and a fireworks finale. But most of all, the Fourth of July lets Americans come together to celebrate everything that makes this country great.
An American flag glows in the morning light as Jo Bagwell (left) waits for the start of the Marietta Freedom Parade on Friday, July 4, 2014.
Evie Houze (center) dances as she waits for the start of the Marietta Freedom Parade on Friday, July 4, 2014.
Anne Morris waits for the start of the Marietta Freedom Parade on Friday, July 4, 2014.
Cora Pearson waits for the start of the Marietta Freedom Parade on Friday, July 4, 2014.
American flags blow in the wind on Roswell St. before the start of the Marietta Freedom Parade on Friday, July 4, 2014.
Sarah Secrist waits for the start of the Marietta Freedom Parade on Friday, July 4, 2014.
Will Britt (left) holds his son David as they wait for the start of the Marietta Freedom Parade on Friday, July 4, 2014.
Rachel Dietz (center) hands out American flags before the start of the Marietta Freedom Parade on Friday, July 4, 2014.
Ella Carr (right) sits with her sister Lizette and father Adam as they wait for the start of the Marietta Freedom Parade on Friday, July 4, 2014.
Members of the Marietta Fire Department Honor Guard march up Roswell St. during the Marietta Freedom Parade on Friday, July 4, 2014.
Grand Marshall Betty Hunter waves an American flag as she rides in a convertible towards Historic Marietta Square during the city’s Freedom Parade on Friday, July 4, 2014.
Jeff Wright with the Sons of Confederate Veterans fires his rifle into the air as he marches down Roswell St. and towards Historic Marietta Square during the city’s Freedom Parade on Friday, July 4, 2014.
Gary Harris (right) and Grant Marshall perform a routine using lawn chairs as they march down Roswell St. and towards Historic Marietta Square during the city’s Freedom Parade on Friday, July 4, 2014.
Debbie Benedit (left) watches the Backyard Brigade march down Roswell St. during the Marietta Freedom Parade on Friday, July 4, 2014.
Lana Johnson (right) waves to the crowd as she rides a float towards Historic Marietta Square during the city’s Freedom Parade on Friday, July 4, 2014.
Kylee Arnold waves an American flag as she watches the Marietta Freedom Parade move down Roswell St. on Friday, July 4, 2014.
Marietta Fire Lt. Jeff Guest (right) holds his son Nathaniel’s hand as they march down Roswell St. during the Marietta Freedom Parade on Friday, July 4, 2014.
Elizabeth Bond (center) waves American flags while standing next to Katie Appenzeller (left) and her sister Ellie (right) as they watch the Marietta Freedom Parade move towards Historic Marietta Square on Friday, July 4, 2014.
Carey Woodall (left) carries his rifle as he marches through Historic Marietta Square during the city’s Freedom Parade on Friday, July 4, 2014.
Austin Lenz (right) holds an American flag as he watches the Marietta Freedom Parade move towards Historic Marietta Square on Friday, July 4, 2014.
Ronald Scott waves to the crowd as he rides in a restored Navy jeep through Historic Marietta Square during the city’s Freedom Parade on Friday, July 4, 2014.
The Marietta Freedom Parade makes its way through Historic Marietta Square on Friday, July 4, 2014.
Bill Dunaway (right), former mayor of Marietta, hugs Tricia Pridemore as she marches through Historic Marietta Square during the city’s Freedom Parade on Friday, July 4, 2014.
Dressed in Vietnam era combat gear, Al Heflin carries an American flag as he marches through Historic Marietta Square during the city’s Freedom Parade on Friday, July 4, 2014.
The Marietta Freedom Parade makes its way past the Strand Theatre and through Historic Marietta Square on Friday, July 4, 2014.
Larry Abel (right) and Ira Giles ride in a restored Army jeep as they make their way through Historic Marietta Square during the city’s Freedom Parade on Friday, July 4, 2014.
Hannah Maisel (front) waves to the crowd as she marches past Historic Marietta Square with the Mobile Azalea Trail Maids during the city’s Freedom Parade on Friday, July 4, 2014.
Corbin Eskridge (right) holds an American flag while sitting on his father Daniel’s lap as they watch the Marietta Freedom Parade move towards Historic Marietta Square on Friday, July 4, 2014.
Clarence Sinkler salutes to the crowd as he rides a float towards Historic Marietta Square during the city’s Freedom Parade on Friday, July 4, 2014.
Gail Hambrick (right) poses as she rides a float through Historic Marietta Square during the city’s Freedom Parade on Friday, July 4, 2014.
Spc. Logan Rees carries his rifle as he marches through Historic Marietta Square during the city’s Freedom Parade on Friday, July 4, 2014.
Scout Masters Dan Bird (left) and Matt McNeil hold up an American flag as they march through Historic Marietta Square during the city’s Freedom Parade on Friday, July 4, 2014.
Boy Scout David McNeil (right) and cub scouts Derek Stutz and Ayden Matthews pull a smaller American flag out from under a larger on as they march through Historic Marietta Square during the city’s Freedom Parade on Friday, July 4, 2014.
Cobb County firefighter Shane Turner (center) waves an American flag as he marches past Historic Marietta Square during the city’s Freedom Parade on Friday, July 4, 2014.
Miss North GA State Fair Katherine McCauley waves to the crowd as she rides in a convertible through Historic Marietta Square during the city’s Freedom Parade on Friday, July 4, 2014.
Bill Carver waves to the crowd as he marches through Historic Marietta Square during the city’s Freedom Parade on Friday, July 4, 2014.
Sandra Deal waves to the crowd as she rides in a convertible towards Historic Marietta Square during the city’s Freedom Parade on Friday, July 4, 2014.
Cobb County Fire Lt. Ryan Gillen (right) gives Field Richardson a high five as he marches through Historic Marietta Square during the city’s Freedom Parade on Friday, July 4, 2014.
Caleb Johnson (right) rings a liberty bell while his grandmother Janet Johnson waves an American flag as they ride a float towards Historic Marietta Square during the city’s Freedom Parade on Friday, July 4, 2014.
Betty Gottberg waves to the crowd as she rides her horse Martini towards Historic Marietta Square during the city’s Freedom Parade on Friday, July 4, 2014.
Jan Colpo (left) and her husband John make their way through the craft fair off of Historic Marietta Square during the city’s Fourth in the Park celebration on Friday, July 4, 2014.
Haley Apte sits at the top of an inflatable slide in Historic Marietta Square during the city’s Fourth in the Park celebration on Friday, July 4, 2014.
Ryne Oria (left) waits for Richard Morris to sugar his funnel cake in Historic Marietta Square during the city’s Fourth in the Park celebration on Friday, July 4, 2014.
J. Scott Thompson (right) performs on stage in Historic Marietta Square as LaToya Shumate and Kathy Bass (left) dance during the city’s Fourth in the Park celebration on Friday, July 4, 2014.
Angelina Alonso (right) is zipped up in an inflatable hamster ball in Historic Marietta Square during the city’s Fourth in the Park celebration on Friday, July 4, 2014.
Jose Valada turns over barbeque in a smoker in Historic Marietta Square during the city’s Fourth in the Park celebration on Friday, July 4, 2014.
Martha Ireland chooses a hand made bird house in one of the artists booths off of Historic Marietta Square during the city’s Fourth in the Park celebration on Friday, July 4, 2014.
J. Scott Thompson performs on stage in Historic Marietta Square during the city’s Fourth in the Park celebration on Friday, July 4, 2014.