Parades have taken place around Healdsburg Plaza as long as there’s been a plaza, according to museum records. Though May Day was the original date of local celebration, soon the Fourth of July—and especially the “grotesque pageants” of the Squeedunk Parade—created an inimitable celebration.
Despite the absence of Squeedunks, this year’s parade coordinator for Healdsburg Sunrise Rotary and its new president, Bob Mosby, said, “In my opinion it was one of the better parades.” Though he admitted that a parade route that sends 225 registered kids ages 4 to 9 (and their parents) twice around the Plaza can have its potential pitfalls, “this year there were no problems, and it went off quite well,” he added.
Among the judges for the parade were, once again, Evelyn Mitchell, joined by Police Chief Matt Jenkins and this year’s mayor, Chris Herrod. “I have had the honor of being the head judge for the last several years,” Mitchell said. “It is one of my favorite things to do. The Sunrise Rotary does an amazing job, and the kids are wonderful.”
The celebration began about 10:30am with the registration for the Duck Dash ramp, followed by the kids parade and an Independence Day fair and car show. Music by the Healdsburg Community Band created a patriotic atmosphere, and Court ’n’ Disaster added its classic country repertoire.
The city’s recreation director, Matt Milde, estimated between 3,500 and 4,000 people attended. “While attendance is certainly one measure of success, it’s not the only one,” he said. “More importantly, the event brought the community together and created lasting Fourth of July memories for many Healdsburg families.”
Later that evening, the American Legion Post 111 shot off a half-hour of red, white and blue (and a few other colors on the spectrum) fireworks until 10pm, bringing Independence Day to a close, Healdsburg-style.
“The celebration is so quintessentially small-town fun,” Mitchell said. “I always walk away with a smile on my face and a feeling of pride in our community.”
