“If you believe in magic, come along with me
We’ll dance until mornin’ ’til there’s just you and me
And maybe, if the music is right
I’ll meet you tomorrow, sort of late at night
And we’ll go dancing, baby, then you’ll see
How the magic’s in the music and the music’s in me.”
Heather says: “THE DAYS ICE CREAM KAZOO BAND WILL BE AT THE INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE IN OCEAN GROVE, NJ. Ahem. Sorry for yelling, I’m just really excited!!”
Driving Jersey, a PBS series will soon feature the Ocean Grove parade and the Kazoo Band!
The Independence Day Parade will be on Wednesday, July 4, with “kickoff” at 10:30 am. The CMA says that it will have “over 2,000 participants and thousands of onlookers.”
The parade begins on Whitefield Avenue and turns east along Main Avenue to Central Avenue, then turns north towards Ocean Pathway, then east again, ending along Ocean Avenue.
This year’s Grand Marshall is Ocean Grove historian and author Ted Bell.
At 7:30 pm there will be a Gordon Turk organ recital “Pipes and Stripes” in the Great Auditorium.
Editor’s note: As a music lover, I must point out that there is not a single real marching band in the parade according to the official line of march. There will be some fifes, a bagpiper, drums, kazoos and the OG Summer Band.
The dearth of significant march music was noticed last year, and the list of participants indicates that it will be the same this year. In addition there is no official military presence. A true 4th of July parade without ample music cannot be called “One of the best parades in the Garden State.” as stated by the CMA’s official press release.
Nor can the CMA claim it to be, “The best Fourth of July Parade in America” as stated by the CMA.
If the CMA cannot afford to provide marching bands for this parade, then Neptune Township should help with the financing. A parade filled with marching politicians, clubs, police, firemen, businesses, and even the National Corn Growers Association can be disappointing and monotonous without marching band music.
If we can’t have a Sousa march by a marching band in our 4th of July parade, then maybe Sousa’s portrait should be removed from the Historical Society of OG in protest.
Reminder: This is a longer parade and begins at Stockton Avenue. Heads north on Whitfield, east on Main Avenue to Central Avenue, down Ocean Pathway to Ocean Avenue.
Reviewing stand at Embury and Ocean Avenues.
SOUSA’S WASHINGTON POST MARCH: From the movie “Desperately Seeking Sousa.”
JP Gradone, COO of the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association, the sponsor of this event, said, “Although the parade itself may be a little smaller, due to scheduling changes, we feel it is more important to have a safe and smaller parade, than no parade at all.”
Parade changed to Saturday, July 5, at 10:30 am. Here is the official press release:
(July 2, 2014) Due to inclement weather, Ocean Grove’s Independence Day Parade has been postponed until Saturday, July 5 at 10:30 AM.
The parade begins on Whitefield Avenue and turns east along Main Avenue to Central Avenue; then turns north towards Ocean Pathway, then east again ending along Ocean Avenue.
Ocean Grove’s parade is a community, township, county, and state-wide event. Some of the parade bands have been an active part of the Ocean Grove parade for decades.
Among this year’s musical participants are:
Pipes and Drums of the Atlantic Watch
Monmouth County Police and Fire Pipes and Drums
Ocean Grove Summer Band
Neptune High School Marching Band
Shade Tree Mechanics Rockin’ Blues
The 2014 parade Grand Marshals are: Neptune Township officials Vito D. Gadaleta, Business Administrator; Richard J. Cuttrell, Municipal Clerk; and Michael J. Bascom, Emergency Management Coordinator/Chief Financial Officer.
The Ocean Grove Parade has been recognized by the Asbury Park Press as “one of the best parades in the Garden State.” The Star Ledger says the annual Independence Day parade “remains a civic extravaganza of fire trucks, marching bands and volunteer group floats. It has an official motto – “The Best Fourth of July parade in America” – and is the daytime star of the weekend. The evening star is the Great Auditorium concert.
Ocean Grove will kick off the holiday weekend with a concert by the Imperial Brass on Thursday, July 3, 2014 (7:30 pm) in the Great Auditorium.
On Saturday, July 5 (12 Noon), Gordon Turk will perform a free Independence Day concert on the Great Auditorium Pipe Organ.
The Ocean Grove Summer Band will cap off the evening with a free concert, “One Nation, Under God” at 8 pm.