Elmwood Park plans to hold its July Fourth parade, but this year, the route will be different: it will move through every Elmwood Park residential street so residents can enjoy it from their own homes without gathering in large crowds.
The COVID-19 pandemic has closed celebrations and events through the spring and early summer, and many towns have canceled parades and fireworks that traditionally happen on Independence Day.
“We need the Fourth of July Parade more than ever and I am very happy that we have devised a way to continue this time-honored family and community-building tradition,” Elmwood Park Mayor Angelo “Skip” Saviano said in a news release from the village.
The parade will begin at 9 a.m. on July 4, from Conti Circle, and cover nearly 30 miles, village officials said. The village is encouraging residents to decorate their yards and homes to celebrate, spokesman Andrew Mack said.
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“We don’t want people congregating along a parade route,” Mack said. “By going through all of the streets, people will be able to just kind of come out and sit on their sidewalk or on their front stoop and watch the parade in a more safe and socially distant manner.”
The parade will look different this year, as only vehicles are allowed, which means no floats, marchers or walkers, and no throwing candy. Only one person is allowed in each vehicle unless they are members of the same household, Mack said.
Village staff intends the guidelines to keep participants as well as spectators safe, according to the release. Besides concerns about group gatherings during the parade, there are reasons for limiting the parade units to vehicles. Bands likely haven’t been able to meet to rehearse and most floats are built as a team effort.
“We are delighted that we were able to arrange a way to still hold our parade and allow our Elmwood Park pride and patriotism to shine through,” Saviano said in the release.