For Kasey Diestelkamp of Aurora and her family, the city’s annual Fourth of July parade is a must before her family thinks about backyard barbecues or anything else that might accompany the holiday.
“We always come to the parade,” she said while holding her daughter Beckett, who is almost 3 years old. “We come every year. We live down the street and ride our bikes and it’s an important holiday for families to get together. After the parade, we go home and change into our swimsuits and go to our in-laws where we swim and we eat. But it wouldn’t be the Fourth of July without the parade. That’s the start of everything.”
Beginning at 10 a.m. Friday, Aurora welcomed in the Fourth of July with the city’s annual parade that kicked off at the intersection of Benton Street and Broadway downtown.
The night before, the city celebrated America’s 249th birthday with a Thursday evening fireworks show.
The parade on Friday featured more than 30 floats, a number that officials said was similar to years past.
“This is an important day for Aurorans as well as all of our surrounding communities and the nation,” said Jon Zaghloul, communications manager for the city of Aurora, before the parade began. “Our grand marshal is Hugo Saltijeral, who is such a welcome part of the community. He is what Aurora is – he’s someone who is resilient, who is generous and who is very actively involved in pretty much everything that goes on here in Aurora.”
According to a press release from the city, Saltijeral gives back to the community in many ways and “currently serves as the executive director of the Valley Sheltered Workshop, leading a bold transformation in disability services.”
Zaghloul noted that Friday “is a great opportunity for city residents to come out and celebrate America’s birthday and have a fun time watching all of the great floats and groups that walk in the parade.”
“This is very similar to Memorial Day where people can come to the parade and then take some time to relax. It’s primarily a day off for most people and a great opportunity to come together downtown and celebrate and then have family time,” he said.
Spotty rain which moved into the area before the parade helped keep things cooler this year as thousands gathered along the parade route.
Brie Blue, 28, of Yorkville, said she was the head coach for the West Aurora High School cheerleaders and while the school has participated in the parade for many years, “this is the first time for this coaching staff to be in it.”
“The importance of today is kind of what I coach my kids in all the time – it’s all of us coming together and celebrating all our accomplishments and our future and what we have and everyone who came before us,” Blue said. “It’s like our alumni and all of those who served for us – fought for our country. The girls are super-excited about being in the parade. They love walking in it and doing community involvement.”
Nick Sargis, who is the theater supervisor for the Fox Valley Park District, brought a slew of participants – more than 80 – to the parade.
“We have a great relationship with the city of Aurora and it’s great that we get to walk and support our community,” he said of the parade.
Diestelkamp and others spoke about the importance of the holiday for Americans.
“This is important to teach our kids about the Fourth of July and what it really means and it’s a good sense of community being with all the Aurorans,” she said.
Kathy Maltese of Aurora and her husband Tony said the parade is always on their Fourth of July to-do list.
“When it’s the Fourth of July, it’s the first box we have to check,” Kathy Maltese said. “It’s a tradition. It’s something you’ve got to do.”
“This shows your patriotism and right now with all the things going on you have to show up now more than ever and this is one way of showing some kind of unity,” Tony Maltese added. “You don’t get a chance to do that all the time.”
David Sharos is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
