Lukas Bort and John Zuklin each had their own ideas about celebrating Griffith’s annual July 4 parade.
Lukas, 3, of Griffith, jumped gleefully as each group in the parade passed by. Not quite souped up from a sugar rush, he smiled and turned to his dad, Scott Bort, and mom, Beth Bort, who was holding baby sister Skylar in a Snuggli, before running two feet into Broad Street.
“I got some more candy!” Lukas said triumphantly, his little fists crammed tight with Tootsie Rolls and Dum Dum suckers. A mangled, plastic Army guy made it into his Black Hawks candy bag as well.
Zuklin, meanwhile, stood with friends no more than 20 feet away from the Borts, enjoying the holiday in a slightly different fashion. Laughing with — and in some cases, at — his friends from bowling, he indulged in a different kind of treat.
“The parade is one of the only times you can drink beer at 9 a.m.,” he said.
Griffith’s parade was bigger this year, with several different private vehicles and a giant fleet of tow trucks. Dennis Winn III, 1, of Merrillville, waved his American flag the whole time.
“He really liked the fire trucks,” his mom, Rachael Winn, said. “He waved his flag at them.”
Winn and her family set up camp in front of St. Mary Catholic Church for their festivities. Jackie Franklin and her husband, Joel, came in from Hobart to spend their last child-free days with family and friends.
“Our son will be born Tuesday, so this is our last hurrah,” Jackie Franklin said. “It’s a hometown reunion, and see we everyone we don’t get to see much anymore.”
Her brother, Steve DeYoung, of Griffith, wouldn’t get to be so lucky. DeYoung got to see the parade before having to go to work for the day.
“I work for the railroad, and the money’s good, but I don’t get to see my family much,” he said. “I’d stay off today to hang out, but there’ll be other years, I guess.”
The Hernandez family — Priscilla Hernandez, her brother, Jacob Hernandez, and his wife, Hope Clark Hernandez — walked in the parade for Oak Church. They enjoyed seeing all the people celebrating from the sidelines.
“The whole town comes out, and it’s cute to see the kids interacting with everyone,” Hope Clark-Hernandez said.
Instead of passing out candy to the hungry hordes, Oak Church adds its own flourish.
“We were giving out flowers. I think that adds a more personal touch,” Priscilla Hernandez said.
Michelle L. Quinn is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.