Whenever a new community event gets rolled out, there’s always a bit of doubt in the minds of its organizers.
So when Houston Area Chamber of Commerce director Angie Quinlan and the chamber’s board members committed not that long ago to sponsoring an Independence Day parade, there was some apprehension involved with regard to the eventual outcome. But let’s just say that outcome was more than just fine, as there were dozens of parade entries and hundreds of spectators.
I, too, felt a little doubt prior to Saturday morning. But when I got within sight of the parade lineup area next to the high school gym, a feeling of relief took me over and a big smile crossed my face as I viewed how many people and vehicles there were in the staging area.
And how cool is it that the idea for the parade originated with a citizen? Yep, the event began as a suggestion from Houston businessman Gary Parish (not that he’s looking for an “atta-boy,” but he’s getting one here), who tossed the idea out several months ago before Quinlan and Co. took the reins from there and rode the horse home. Parish even donated 300 American flags that were distributed to parade attendees, both young and old.
The flags were big and bold enough that their presence – pretty much everywhere you looked on Grand Avenue – made for a really cool scene.
It’s worth noting that the Independence Day parade is now the second two great events this year in downtown Houston that owe their existence to citizens. You might recall the first-ever (and hugely successful) “Grand Festival” on May 5 that was not only born from the brains of local residents, but was even almost entirely administrated and conducted by them.
Both events are likely to continue from now on, and will surely become even better as the years pass.
After the parade, a woman I know said something about it I found quite profound. She pointed out that some of the kids gathering hoards of candy from the pavement after it was thrown from most of the vehicles in the procession may have learned something rather important just by being there and laying eyes on the numerous U.S. military veterans taking part.
“What if they asked, ‘why do they matter,?’” she said. “It could literally be the first – and maybe only – time they hear an answer to that question.”
Anyway, everyone involved in making the parade such a great event should take a little pride in knowing it went so well. And with that kind of opening act, I believe next year’s version has a strong chance of being quite a spectacle.
I’m guessing word of mouth will carry the news well enough about the success of this year’s version and we’ll see more participation and attendance in 2019. Hopefully more local organizations will get into the swing of things with floats, horses, ATVs or trailer loads of people bearing some semblance of the red, white and blue.
Really, about the only thing truly missing in the inaugural act was music. Maybe next year there will a band walking down the street playing “The Stars and Strips Forever.”
And hey, maybe it could even be a local band (hint, hint).
Doug Davison is a writer, photographer and newsroom assistant for the Houston Herald.
Email: ddavison@houstonherald.com.
