Concord community comes together to celebrate July 4th

Across America, July Fourth was a day to celebrate the nation's 250th anniversary. The city of Concord held its 33rd annual parade, which has always reflected the different cultures of the area.  

Some of the parade's diversity has diminished in recent years, but those who came said it was just nice to have one day a year when people could put their political differences aside.

The Independence Day parade through Todos Santos Plaza is an annual tradition for many Concord residents.  Mayra Duarte began going there when she was a teenager. Now she's passing on the tradition to her own teenage daughter, Annabella.

"I don't know if it's just that I'm used to it, but, I don't know, it's just home," said Mayra. "Just something that we're just, I love to come here."

"I really like it because I love how everyone is so joyful," said Anabella.  "It makes everyone feel relieved."

That relief lies in the opportunity for people to wave the stars and stripes without it feeling like a political challenge.  That was true for Chris Flores, who arrived with his family an hour and a half early just to get a shady view of the parade.

"It's Fourth of July," he said.  "Everybody just kind of agrees that, hey, we're going to come together and put aside our differences.  We all come from somewhere different, so we'll just have a good time."

That's exactly what parade director Michele McGallian was hoping for.  And she admitted that this being the nation's 250th birthday may have added just a bit more pressure.

"We want to make it look spectacular for everybody, but our budget doesn't change," she said, laughing.  "So, we have to do with it, creatively, what we can.  But we're doing the best we can with what we have."

But for many, the parade didn't have to be spectacular.  It just had to remind them of their small-town memories and a sense of togetherness that is sometimes lost in today's modern world.  Alicia Parra remembered the feeling of the Bicentennial, back in 1976, when the nation was celebrating its 200th anniversary.

"Back then, I knew all my neighbors.  And right now, we're just, everyone's in their own little world," she said.  "If we could have a conversation, we could agree to disagree.  Listen and talk.  There's too much, 'I'm just talking, you don't have to listen.'  No, no, let's listen, talk, compromise.  It's for the best for everyone.  Let's get along."

The Concord parade has changed as the nation has changed.  In years past, it featured annual appearances by the Mexican vaqueros, proudly showing off their magnificent dancing horses, and the immigrant day laborers who marched each year, carrying a huge American flag.  Those are all gone now, and long-time parade watcher Abel Ramos said he misses them.

"I think it's kind of sad because having the vaqueros, the rancheros, the Hispanic community, it would show that we're here for a reason, too.  Not just to be here," he said.

But Abel's not giving up hope. He said he takes solace in the diversity of the audience, of his neighbors who are happy to come out and celebrate the nation, rather than fight over it.

"I think we're still united somehow," he said.  "We're still united.  We still see a lot of different cultures, different families.  And that's why we're still coming."