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Whitefield Avenue, Ocean Grove. Independence Day parade. All photos by Paul Goldfinger @Blogfinger.net ©  Click on photos to enlarge.

Even though some participants who were supposed to march on July 4 could not make it for the rain-delayed parade on July 5, a large and festive  crowd was on its feet to applaud this famous annual event.  There were all the usual suspects including almost every major Ocean Grove group. Among the participants were bag pipers, the Summer band (marching instead of sitting), the Neptune High School Scarlet Fliers which included two marching guitar players  (–reminds us of Woody Allen playing cello in the marching band in Take the Money and Run), the Days Kazoo Band which provided Sousa music that the march king would have enjoyed, politicians waving from open vehicles, and even Uncle Sam on stilts.

Ocean Grove. July 5, 2014 © Blogfinger photo

There were so many young families with kids diving for candy. I got hit in the head with a few Tootsie rolls, and even OG historian Ted Bell took a shot at me from his car.   We came across Frank Panepento from Batavia, New York who was visiting his sister Rosalind.  Frank, who can’t read a note, was marching up and down Whitefield Avenue, providing his own solo parade,  playing patriotic music on his trumpet while waiting for the parade to start.

We met Mark and Flo Meier who were on their Main Avenue porch celebrating Flo’s birthday.

Flo and Mark Meier. Main Avenue. Blogfinger photo ©

Like Uncle Sam, she was born on the 4th of July. I was running around with Carl Hoffman of Mt. Tabor Way trying to get some good photos, along with so many others who were taking pictures. Almost instantly many of those photos were posted on Facebook.   The crowd on Main Avenue, as usual, was huge, and one had to be impressed by the shear joy of it all—the music, the cheers, the colors and the excitement.

What a great holiday this year starting with the opening of our new boardwalk and now this parade.  The Ocean Grove Camp Meeting must be congratulated for its huge effort in helping to bring the town together after Sandy, with fighting for Federal help in rebuilding the people’s boardwalk and finally for sponsoring this wonderfully happy July 5th parade—the epitome of  life in  an American small town.

Whitfield and Main.   Blogfinger photo ©

Sweets were flying all around,  and this trio was ready. Blogfinger photo ©

OGU.    Blogfinger photo ©

A pretty girl  is like a melody.  The Shoreline Dance Academy.  Blogfinger photo ©

Neptune HS band’s guitar section. Did Sousa ever have a guitar in his band?   Who knows?  Blogfinger photo ©

SOUSA  “The Gladiator March”

Excitement on Main Avenue. Blogfinger photo ©

Ocean Grove Great Auditorium choir looking for an echo. ©

—Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger.net