Star spangled spectacle: Canonsburg celebrates Fourth of July parade’s diamond anniversary
It’s a “sweet” spot for parade watching outside Grandpa Joe’s in Canonsburg July 4. Crowds lined the streets of Canonsburg for the 60th anniversary, which boasted 131 units and 54 sponsors.
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The 911 Airlift Wing flies over Canonsburg, signaling the start of the 60th annual Canonsburg Fourth of July parade.
And it's begun! The Canonsburg Fourth of July's 60th anniversary lived up to the hype, with live music, first responders and U.S. veterans, marching bands, dazzling floats and more.
Lilly Zombeck, 11, left, and Katie Gondringer, 12, dance the morning away at the Canonsburg Fourth of July parade. The two, both of Cecil, were there with their families.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
McMurray VFW Post 764 Honor Guard and the auxiliary were part of the first float of the 60th annual Canonsburg Fourth of July parade rolls along Pike Street in Canonsburg. This year’s parade lasted three hours and boasted plenty of floats, music, classic cars and marching bands.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Jenna Becker, Tim Estlow and their dogs Murphy and Ramona, right, enjoy the Canonsburg Fourth of July parade from the shade Tuesday morning. “It’s been a childhood tradition. It’s nice to carry it on,” said Becker, who grew up in Canonsburg.
Matthew Coon and Robert Litman, top right, of Washington, have a bird's eye view of the Canonsburg Fourth of July parade. "My great-great-grandfather was a merchant marine, he grew up in Canonsburg. We're just trying to pay a little homage," said Coon.
Mt. Olive Baptist Church sets the soundtrack to the Canonsburg Fourth of July parade. The church was one of several churches to get crowds moving to live music.
The Canon-McMillan High School marching band elicits cheers from the crowd Tuesday afternoon, during the annual Canonsburg Fourth of July parade. Canon-Mac and Chartiers-Houston are always staples during the event.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Little fans cheer on the Shriners as they make their way down Pike Street Tuesday during the 60th annual Canonsburg Fourth of July parade.
Photos: Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
A majorette twirls beneath her baton before catching it during the annual Fourth of July parade in Canonsburg.
Photos: Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Lainey Gordon, 5, of South Fayette, receives an American flag from one of Santa’s elves afternoon, during the 60th annual Fourth of July parade. Gordon’s mother, Jennifer, grew up in Canonsburg, and the family attends the parade every year.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Wonders Unicycle Club wows the crowd with choreographed twists and twirls during the 60th annual Canonsburg Fourth of July parade.
The melodic sounds of bagpipes fills the air as the Macdonald Pipe Band of Pittsburgh marches down Pike Street. The band was one of several bagpipe groups to participate in Canonsburg's 60th annual Fourth of July parade.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Sophia Haywood, 4, is all smiles as she rushes, candy in hand, back to her mom Sara Haywood during the Canonsburg Fourth of July parade. The Haywoods, of Glassport, found the trek to Canonsburg for its annual red, white and blue blowout well worth it.
Sirens roared, fingers pointed skyward, faces turned upward and, at 9:58 a.m., the 911 Airlift Wing flew over the Rite-Aid in Canonsburg, signaling the start of the town’s 60th annual Fourth of July parade.
“(I’ve been coming) since the first one, for years and years and years,” said Edie Thompson, keeping cool in a wide-brimmed hat and cheering as volunteer firefighters marched down Pike Street. “It just seems to have grown. There seem to be more people this year than ever.”
In its infancy, the Canonsburg Fourth of July parade, founded by Anthony Colaizzo, featured a few bands, dignitaries in nice cars and fire trucks.
“As it gained momentum and gained steam, we started to get bigger and bigger,” said Fred Terling, parade emcee and public relations specialist.
In the 1970s, the parade welcomed the Mummers from Philadelphia and gradually expanded to an over three-hour-long affair with 30,000 or more spectators.
“It’s absolutely insane every year,” said Jenna Becker, who grew up in Canonsburg and first introduced her boyfriend Tim Estlow and their dogs to the tradition a few years ago. “I don’t know anybody else who goes as hard as Canonsburg.”
The diamond anniversary parade lived up to the hype. Chairs claiming spots lined the parade route Saturday morning. Crowds gathered along sidewalks around 8 a.m. Tuesday and the grand ole parade, which boasted 131 units and 54 corporate sponsors, lasted until a little after 1 p.m.
“I always joke if you’ve got a parade filled with cars, all you’re doing is watching traffic. We have a lot more music, including dance groups, and we have more floats this year,” said Terling.
Dance groups and music abounded. Young and old dressed in red, white and blue clapped their hands and polkaed as the SNPJ International Button Box band rode by, and many moved to the tunes of local churches like Mt. Olive Baptist Church, whose floats featured live music.
“She’s come since she was a month old,” said Sherry McDonald of Cecil as her daughter Lilly Zombeck, 11, and cousin Katie Gondringer, 12, danced. “I’ve been coming since I was little. It’s tradition.”
Tradition brings Jennifer Gordon, of Canonsburg, to the parade annually too.
“It’s so wonderful,” Gordon of South Fayette said, smiling. “I have so many great memories as a child going to the parade and being in the parade. It brings back all those great childhood memories.”
Gordon also loves watching her kids make their own Fourth of July memories. Her son Landon Gordon, 9, who marveled as confetti flew through the air, said his favorite thing about the parade is “everything.”
There was something for everyone during the three-hour parade. Local businesses passed out candy – folks went wild when Sarris gave out chocolate-covered pretzels and bananas as Grandpa Joe’s Candy Shop tossed bananas to the crowd – and parade-goers marveled at the grace and athleticism the Wonders Unicycle Club demonstrated as members twirled and danced on one wheel.
Local dance troupes impressed with their moves, and floats dazzled. Classic cars and decked-out Jeeps cruised along the parade route to applause, and first responders tossed candy from local firetrucks and police cars.
“The police officers throwing the candy” was Adalynn Rumbaugh’s favorite part of the parade, she said.
Rumbaugh, 3, attended the parade with her mom Michele, her father Shane, little brother Ridge, 2, and Nana Linda Rumbaugh.
For the first time in its history, the Canonsburg Fourth of July parade welcomed the Pittsburgh Firefighters Memorial Pipe Band. The Balmoral Pipes & Drums Band from Pittsburgh and the Macdonald Pipe Band of Pittsburgh also marched.
Alums cheered loudly as the Canon-McMillan and Chartiers-Houston high school bands performed, folks put their hands together for the Washington High School and JV cheerleaders, and folks went wild for the Pittsburgh Pirates Pierogies and the Washington Wild Thing.
Addie Trivilino, 6, and her friend Lily Warnock, 5, had front-row seats to the show and enjoyed every moment of parade day, especially collecting candy and dancing.
The two were there with their moms, Melanie Trivilino and Heather Warnock.
“I did not grow up around here,” said Melanie Trivilino. “We’ve come the last maybe seven or eight years. Just the tradition of being together with our friends and enjoying the day – that’s why we’re here. We want them to grow up with the same memories, with better memories, even.”
Memory-making continued even after the last float announced, “That’s all, folks!”
Town Park Pool offered free admission and a myriad of activities, including a rock climbing wall all afternoon and live music in the park.
Canonsburg Memorial Stadium opened at 6 p.m., the first time the stadium has opened on the Fourth in a couple of years, for an evening bash that included food trucks, face painting, caricatures and balloon art.
Aaron Margaria took the stage at 7:30 p.m., followed by Cross Creek the Band at 8.
And fireworks by Pyrotecnico lit up the night skies over Canonsburg. The show, the first by Pyrotecnico, kicked off at 10 p.m.
When the last fireworks faded into blackness, the 60th Canonsburg Fourth of July ended, too, another marvelous day in the borough’s history books.
“Other than tradition, it’s a day of togetherness,” said Terling. “It’s a reminder about what this country’s about. There’s a lot of junk that’s going on in the world, and for one day, from the morning to night, it’s an actual celebration of America, it’s a celebration of family, it’s a celebration of friends, it’s a celebration of loved ones. It’s a full-day affair. For one day out of the year, there’s no stress. You just show up and be entertained.”