Published: July 04, 2009 11:28 pm      

Rain on the Fourth of July

People brave rain to celebrate America’s 233rd birthday

Hundreds of people braved the rainy conditions to enjoy Walton’s 4th of July parade on Saturday afternoon.

From marching bands to tractors and miniature cars, both participants and spectators donned red, white and blue to share a celebration of America’s independence, all be it from under the shield of an umbrella.

Terry Logan, who traveled from Alexandria to watch the parade and explore the car show, was very impressed with what he saw, especially the tractors.

With a son in his third tour of duty in Baghdad with the U.S. Army, Logan says the Fourth of July is a special day to remember what others have sacrificed.

“This is what he is fighting for, so we can be free,” Logan said.

Vietnam veteran Ron Babb, a resident of Walton, attended the parade for the first time. He said it was a great parade, adding that the day is a time for reflection on past sacrifices.

“This shows that what I did gives us the freedom to do what we want to celebrate our freedom,” Babb said. “It was just classy.”

More than 75 units flowed along the parade route on Ind. 218 from Lewis Cass High School to U.S. 35 through the heart of the town before returning towards the school along Maple Street. As they passed by the crowds, participants threw out candy, leaving eager children scampering across the ground to add to their growing collection.

Alex Cocolin rode her horse, Ace, in the parade for the third year in a row. Decorated in red, white and blue tinsel and bunting, Cocolin said she tries to march in different parades across the area throughout the day, but always makes a special effort for Walton.

“People do whatever they can to get here,” Cocolin said. “You can see that with the weather today.”

In Delphi the smell of grilled burgers and hot dogs filled the air at the Canal Interpretive Center as residents turned out in droves to enjoy the day. Volunteers wore period clothing while children participated in a range of hands-on activities from wood carving to building a bird house.

The center’s new canal boat, though, was the star attraction as visitors lined up along the dock with their umbrellas to wait for a ride.

Ron and Candy Castongia and their daughter, Brooklyn, traveled from Battleground to Delphi for the event to watch their son, Brett, who is attending Camp Tecumseh, walk in the morning parade.

Candy Castongia said it is great to see the center open and so many people enjoying its activities.

“It is fun to come and see everything while it is all open because it is not always open like this,” Castongia said.

Heather Hettley and her daughter Sharron Lucas, who are from a military family, said they would celebrate well into the evening with family members who recently returned from serving in Iraq.

“We will go to the Delphi fireworks and then have a campfire in the backyard where we will roast marshmallows and celebrate freedom,” Hettley said.

The rain put a damper on the festivities at Fairview Park.

The last three years, Julie Moore and her daughter have had a face painting booth at the celebration sponsored by the Logansport Parks Department and Jaycees.

Saturday, she said it was quiet.

“And it’s all because of the rain,” said Moore, who was also offering temporary tattoos, colored hair spray, paper roses and glowsticks.

One late afternoon visitor was Ryan Buck. The Logansport man stopped in to visit the Pioneer Band Boosters.

“The weather is keeping me away,” he said. “I’m just stopping by to get tacos for the family.”

At the Canal Days celebration, however, Pat Brettnacker, an English teacher at Delphi High School, brushed off suggestions that the rain might ruin the day by pointing out that conditions would be a lot worse if the sun was beating down.

She said the Fourth is always a special day to spend with family and remember the sacrifices of past generations of Americans. She recalled past independence celebrations in Frankfurt, Germany, and New York City. While those were enjoyable, Brettnacker said, she was very impressed by what Delphi’s canal center had to offer.

“Today in Delphi is just as memorable as either of those,” Brettnacker said.

• Associate editor John Dempsey contributed to this story.