THOMASTON — Hundreds of people lined Main Street in downtown Thomaston on Monday for a Fourth of July parade, an annual tradition the community has missed for the past two years due to the pandemic.

Cheers from the crowd, sometimes several rows deep, erupted as the color guard turned the corner onto Main Street from the staging area to lead the parade celebrating the 246^th birthday of America.

The theme of this year’s parade was “Be Your Best Self.”

The huge crowd, many who sported eclectic red, white and blue attire, were all smiles while they enthusiastically clapped and waved American flags as the parade passed them.

It was a definite endorsement they were thrilled the parade was back.

Enjoy the photo gallery with parade highlights and also learn more about some Fourth of July history and trivia, according to the Farmer’s Almanac. 

• The Declaration of Independence was announced on July 4th, though the formal signing didn’t occur until August 2nd, and the colonies actually voted to accept it on July 2nd. John Adams, who first proposed the idea of declaring independence from England, wrote a famous letter to his wife, Abigail, that July 2nd would be a day that was remembered and celebrated in America for years to come. “Apparently everyone else remembered otherwise,” according to the Farmer’s Almanac.

• Although July 4, 1776, didn’t see any fireworks, in 1777, the first Fourth of July fireworks were lit over Philadelphia. Our current fascination with Fourth of July fireworks has its roots deep in American history. Even before the final version of the Declaration of Independence was signed, John Adams envisioned great celebrations in the future, ones that would include fireworks.
• The American Pyrotechnics Association says that more than 14,000 fireworks displays “glitter in America’s night sky on Independence Day.” Boston also held a display in 1777, and from there, the tradition took off. By 1783, the public could purchase all kinds of fireworks for their own Fourth of July celebrations.
• There have been 28 versions of the U.S. flag to date, and the most recent one, designed after Alaska and Hawaii joined the union, was the result of a school project. Robert Heft was 17 and a high school student in Ohio when he came up with the flag design in 1958 as part of an American History project.
• The only president of the United States to be born on July 4 was Calvin Coolidge, the country’s 30th president.     

• Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and John Monroe all died on July 4. Jefferson and Adams died on the same day in 1826, just hours apart.
• The hottest Independence Days have all come from seven cities within the Southwest region. The hottest celebration was in 2007 in Needles, California at 121ºF.

Reach Sarah Shepherd at news@penbaypilot.com