by Laura Monteros
Photos by Laura Monteros and Chris Considine
Sonoma Drive celebrated its 53rd annual Fourth of July Parade in true neighborhood parade spirit: there were far more people marching than watching. It is not an observor's parade.
It travels a simple route: west on Sonoma, north on Mar Vista, east on Boston, south on Holliston, west on Morada, north on Mar Vista, then back east to Sonoma to end at the potluck dessert tables.
The pace car (which was actually passed by bicycles) is 1976 Cadillac El Dorado owned by Fred Sayegh. The car has been in several Rose Parades, and has a steel cover for the top so people can sit on it. He said, “This is the official parade boat.” It was actually the only motorized thing in the parade.
He’s been restoring the car five years and just installed a sound system last week. The music was a Sousa CD which the intrepid Altadenablog reporter provided since they didn’t really have anything!
David Mosher, left, with Fred Sayegh, volunteers with Altadena Heritage and serves on the board of Las Flores Water Company. He and wife Caroline have been participating in the parade since 1988. He said (referring to the car) “The parade is complete Americana—the ‘Stars and Stripes’ and exhaust fumes.” He also noted that a 1976 car was appropriate for the parade.
Reggie Ingram has been in the parade 12 years. He got on the ladder and said, “Welcome to the 53rd Annual Sonoma Street Independence Day Parade. We love our country and we love our neighborhood. We always begin by saying the pledge of allegiance.” He led the entire group in the pledge, then said, “Watch the cars.” (The streets are not blocked off.}
And then it began ....
(editor's note: we're beta-testing a new thumbnail option, so let's see what happens!)
Neighborhood resident Allison Jernegan and her two boys came with a bike and scooter. This is their first parade -- Jernegan said that she heard about it from a flier in her mailbox. They came to watch, but ended up marching. At the end, she said, “That was fun! We’ll be back next year—decorated and more prepared.”
