Temperatures in Durango hovered just under 90 degrees around 4:30 p.m. when the city’s annual Fourth of July parade on Main Avenue began, but that didn’t dissuade thousands from turning out to watch and cheer.
Cloud cover, despite appearing to become more sporadic in the afternoon, softened some of the sun’s glaring stare.
The parade turnout rivaled a Snowdown event – the city’s annual weeklong winter festival and parade – with between 3,000 and 5,000 spectators, said Eric Bulrice, community events supervisor.
Durango Community Events Manager Ellen Babers said several days before the parade the city expected about 1,500 people to attend.
The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4031’s and American Legion’s Color Guard led the way north up Main Avenue, followed shortly by a team carrying the Durango Fire Protection District’s 30-foot U.S. Flag, which hasn’t made a parade appearance in years if not decades, Babers said.
For context, she said, Main Avenue is about 54 feet wide.
Skywalker Construction followed with a trailer carrying children in Victorian era garb holding signs celebrating the country’s independence established in 1776.
Cyclists on penny-farthings, or high wheeler bicycles, rode circles down the street in flag of the United States-themed apparel.
The Philanthropic Educational Organization Durango chapter pulled an old buggy on a trailer with “Educate, Motivate, Appreciate Women” spray painted on the side. Other groups, including the La Plata County Humane Society, the Citizens Climate Lobby, the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Durango and the La Plata County Republicans all paraded down main street.
The Fort Lewis College drum corps livened up the atmosphere with rapid beats just as rapidly met with applause.
Durango Police Department followed DFPD at the tail end of the parade, spraying bubbles out of a foam cannon. As the parade moved past, spectators moved onto the street to dance in the foam and, essentially, join the ensemble down to Buckley Park.
Babers said the city tries to clear the road to get traffic moving again right after the parade moves by. But people would only clear momentarily before walking back into the street. So this year, she said, the city embraced people’s instincts and kept Main Avenue closed longer so spectators could have their fun.
Skyler Kling and Emma Meeker of Steamboat Springs said the Fourth of July represented a reunion in Durango with old friends and a meeting of new ones.
Kling said she started the day completing a 31-mile run. Her friends ran 100 miles, and she ran her stretch through the night from Little Mollusk and ended at Hotel Draw Road near Purgatory Resort.
Meeker had breakfast ready, Kling said.
“Rice and tofu. It’s not cute,” Meeker said.
Kling replied, “It was good, though.”
Kling said she, Meeker and friends would spend Saturday evening enjoying nostalgic Mai Tais.
Lily Saloma, who was working the host stand at 11th Street Station on Saturday evening, said she had a busy but good day, although she wishes she had spent more time with her family.
She worked one job at Durango Joe’s before heading to the food truck and bar plaza right as the parade was passing by.
“That was pretty fun to watch,” she said. “But it was very busy. There was big olé lines right up here.”
Durango resident Jonathan Arreola said he spent his Fourth of July enjoying the weather, hanging out with tourists and meeting different people, and overall taking in the bustling kind of environment downtown Durango becomes on a major summer holiday.
“It was pretty fun,” he said. “We live here locally, so it’s always good to meet new people.”
The city of Durango decided earlier in the spring not to host a fireworks show this year because of extreme drought conditions. But it made sure there were plenty of other things to do to make residents’ and guests’ holiday a memorable one.
It hosted Four Days of the Fourth, four days jam packed with family-friendly events, music and entertainment. On Saturday, other goings-on included the all-American Gourmet Breakfast at Rotary Park; the Durango Farmers Market; the Freedom 5K Run, Stroll & Walk; and a bike parade and children’s parade decorating station before the main procession; among many other activities.
cburney@durangoherald.com
