“A procession is a participants’ journey, while a parade is a performance with an audience.”
― Rebecca Solnit, Wanderlust: A History of Walking
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Mckinney Texas is a fairly large city with a quaint small town feel. I always look forward to the Fourth of July parade on the Square. Hundreds of people line the streets to watch a single police car and fire engine start off the route around the square with sirens blaring, followed by the mayor and his family waving to the crowd. (It’s cool when the mayor’s wife waves and says, “Hi Toni.” Everybody knows every body.) Then, there are a couple of dozen old time cars, a few local businesses had floats, several boys scout and Girl Scout troops, Rotary Club, and my favorite, the Art Club of McKinney float. (Thanks, Lynda Kingsley, family and friends.) etc. Of course, you have to have horses. It’s Texas, there must be horses.
I think it took people longer to find a place to park than it took to watch the entire parade, but the point is, it’s all about tradition, family, waving flags and being proud to be an American. In the afternoon, there was a car show with dozens of old, vintage and souped-up cars. The shops were busy, the restaurants packed and the atmosphere, well, it was a fun place to be on the Fourth of July. I LOVE McKINNEY!
Toni Andrukaitis 
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