HOW IT BEGAN
My family (Dad, Mom and 4 children) moved to Scottsdale, Arizona from Indianapolis, Indiana in 1959. Then we moved to Yuma, Arizona in February 1961. AS July 4 approached, our Mom was dismayed to discover that Yuma did not have a parade for Independence Day/July 4. She was raised in a very patriotic family, her Dad served in World War I and our Dad served in World War II. So she and her friend, Marilyn Elliott and with the help of other neighbors organized a neighborhood parade. The neighborhood consisted of three streets: 25th St, Engler Ave, 25th Pl.
As July 4, 1961 was a Tuesday, I’m assuming the parade was on the Saturday before or after. Neighborhood residents and friends from other neighborhoods gathered at our house to decorate bikes, baby strollers and themselves with red, white and blue crepe paper streamers. Keep in mind that the average high temperature in Yuma in July is between 107-114 degrees. After gathering everyone up, we recited the pledge of allegiance and the parade began. The parade concluded at our house and lemonade, watermelon, other refreshments were served.
HOW IT CONTINUED
After we kids grew out of parading, Mom supported other parents to keep the annual event going. When our parents left the neighborhood in 1984, the parade continued being led by other parents over the years. In 2011, the 50th year of the parade got newspaper coverage. Our Mom said she never expected an idea to keep kids busy one Saturday and instill some patriotism would still be going. Well, here we are in 2026, 65 years since it started and it continues. All four of us kids made sure to be in town for it, given it is also America’s 250th birthday. Again it got some news coverage. My sister Betsy and I were invited to be on a podcast and I share that below:
We got in touch with hometown friends and invited them to join us. Many have moved away, but for those who hadn’t we marched with veteran parade marchers from years long gone by. Many replied with fond memories of the parade. Over the years we had people riding horses, a local school teacher marched with a goose, a neighbor dressed as Uncle Sam to lead the parade for many years, the Yuma Fire Department would provide a firetruck as the last entrant. To name a few of the parade participants: Lefflers, Webbs, Meyers, Amburs, Livingstons, Houstons, Lyles, Reeders, Kukuks, Lujans, Evans, Scroggins, Sinoffs, Schraders, Droges, Hansons, Rutledges, Caldwells, Perrys.
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