4th of July recap

Each of the four towns in the 5th Barnstable State Rep District have long traditions of parades, kids' activities, bands, and fireworks on July 4th. Watching kids riding their decorated bicycles and tricycles in a parade gives you a true sense of Americana often lost in other parts of the country.

My son, Jeff, and son-in-law, Mark, started their July 4th by running in Sandwich's 5K race. We cheered them on close to the finish line with me yelling to Jeff: "One more lap!" (My kids are used to my sense of humor.)

We then participated in the Barnstable Village parade, Sandwich parade, and Hyannis parade. I have to admit that I'm a bit "paraded" out, but it was a great time.

A group of friends also built a boat float for the Sandwich Boat Parade, in which 14 creatively decorated canoes paddled from the dam on Shawme Pond to the bandstand at Water Street to the thrill of hundreds of kids and their parents.

Dale & The Duds played Sea Cruise while the line of boat floats approached the crowd. Our entry, Happy Birthday America, was a three-layer cake with road flares for candles.

See the slideshow below for a taste of the day's events.