Every lamp post on Mission Street is decked out in patriotic finery for the annual South Pasadena Festival of Balloons. Don't let the name confuse you ... it's all about the parade. That's right: a real, old-fashioned, Mayberry-worthy, small-town parade complete with shiny fire trucks, marching bands and, as the name would suggest, hundreds upon hundreds of balloons.
Festivities start bright and early with a Kiwanis Club-sponsored pancake breakfast from 7:00 to 1100AM at the firehouse. Then, when everyone is well-fed and caffeinated, the parade begins. It takes off at Mission and Diamond and makes its way down to the big picnic at Garfield Park. At 5:00PM, the South Pasadena football field serves a dual purpose as buffet line and dance floor with food, family fun and entertainment all the way up to the South Pasadena Rotary Club-sponsored fireworks extravaganza at 9:00PM. (I know those fabulous Rotarians -- and they are sure to put on a great show.)
As faithful GOSP-reader Dbdubya commented yesterday, "no one celebrates the Fourth of July like South Pasadena." (Find out more about the Festival of Balloons right here. And for other wonderful Fourth of July musings/images/video from other local bloggers, be sure to check out altadenahiker, Petrea at Pasadena Daily Photo, and pasadena adjacent. )
14 comments:
I couldn't wait to get my first taste of the 4th of July, so I hurriedly, before coffee, jumped to your blog to see this flag waving image!!! No matter what your political views,Or sense of patriotism or not, there is just something about our flag. It evokes old memories of Kate Smith singing and the Boston Pops playing. It's opposing colors and shapes make me want to stand up a little straighter as I look at it waving on a pole.
Your day is going to be filled with an array of delights. I hope to hear all about it. We plan on spending ours indoors except for the occasional running outside to turn the dogs and burgers on the traditional coal burning grill. A day of food, family and friends.
HAPPY FOURTH EVERYONE.
Happy 4th!
Small town parades are the best. Have a great 4th!
Love the poster!
Happy Independence Day!
I hope you have a fun weekend! I'm already looking forward to your photos of the parade :D
There's a couple in town that moved here because of the 4th of July. The husband, who worked for a large corporation, got transferred to Los Angeles. They settled in Arcadia. Friends invited them to spend the 4th in South Pasadena. After going to the pancacke breakfast, parade, picnic in Garfield Park, and the fireworks show, they were hooked. Driving home afterwards they decided they wanted to live in a town that celebrated the 4th that way. They sold their house in Arcadia and moved to South Pasadena where they've lived for many years.
Nice composition, Laurie!
Happy 4th of July!
Hey Judy, I have Kate Smith belting it out on my blog today. Feel free to come over and hit "play"! :)
Laurie, You make me want to hop a plane to So Pas this very minute and see that parade and wave a flag along with you and LIttle Bit. Have a great day! Thanks for this great photo and post.
V
Virginia...I just listened to Kate Smith belting out "God Bless America" off of your website...Thanks!!! Haven't heard her dulcet tones in years and it was the perfect cap for today's morning activities (the So Pas parade and pancake breakfast)!!! Now it's time to rest up before the afternoon festivities!!! Happy 4th everyone!!!
A really wonderful composition!!!
Have a great celebration, everyone!
Happy 4th. Your probably out now dancing in the park.
Thanks for the link. Wordpress never lets me know when folks do so for me. Makes me look ungrateful
you've done a great job capturing the essence of a SoPas 4th. That small town, Rockewllian or Mayberry style celebration is something to be experienced.
I grew up marching down Mission with whatever group I was with---usually Girl Scouts---to the park. As a kid, it was like the best day ever---people cheering because I was walking down a closed street in my hometown! Sweet!
Grilling still reminds me of events at Garfield. A few hours ago I stepped out our front door and smelled hot dogs on a grill and could see condiments lined up on the tables at Garfield ready for applying and families spread out on the lawn at Garfield.
I have tried to explain it to people. There really is no way to aptly explain with words---as with being AT the Rose Parade---one must experience it. Feel the band drums rumble in your chest as they walk by. See the 2 year old wave a little flag. See the various flavors of families watching the parade, tossing a frisbee at Garfield or on a picnic blanket on the field.
I hope you're out enjoying the day in glorious SoPas today..or at least recording with photos to share.
Trish...you've captured the essence of the So Pas 4th by your personalized description of it...while I did not grow up there, I did grow up in a neighboring town (Glendale) with memories of small town parades and the dads in my neighborhood doing the fireworks themselves with buckets of water near by, then years later going to Oakmont and/or the Rose bowl...
Hi everyone,
Thank you so much for the amazing comments today. Your stories and memories are absolutely wonderful. You all add so much to this blog with your own words. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
I had a big swell in visitors to the blog today, so I'd like to welcome all the new readers who are here, but lurking. Jump in and comment! We'd love to hear from you.
Hope everyone had a beautiful holiday. I have images from the parade in the next post -- continuing over to Glancing About, my overflow blog. I'll also have more images on Monday. Yay!
Until tomorrow...
That's really great photos...
I like this blog..
Thanks for sharing...
___________________
Andrew
The Best PRICE for the BEST ENTERTAINMENT
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