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Coldwell Banker’s Kazoo Band Getting Ready For Benicia’s July 3rd Torchlight Parade
June 26th, 2009 categories: Benicia, Local Stuff
If you live in Benicia or have visited here over the 4th of July holiday, you know that it’s one of the two times a year when literally the whole town turns out for a festive community event (the other is the holiday walk on First St. in December).
This year promises to be no exception, starting on July 3rd, when First Street is closed to traffic for the annual Torchlight Parade.
The parade begins at 6:30 pm, but people start lining First Street with folding chairs early in the morning in preparation for the parade that evening. The same thing happens on the grassy slope of the City Park that faces First Street, where people show up early in the morning to lay out their blankets on a precious piece of sod and stake their claim for one of the town’s prime viewing spots adjacent to the judges’ stand.
The parade is always an entertaining mix of music, dancing and marching. You’re usually also sure to see horses, fire trucks, dogs and maybe even a spitting camel along the colorful parade route.
One of the crowd’s favorites always seems to be our own Coldwell Banker Kazoo Band. We win a ribbon every year — though not because of any great skill or grace, but rather because we’re usually the entry in our parade category.
Though, if I must confess, it’s actually been about eight or nine years since I joined my colleagues in the parade. In recent years, I’ve found it enjoyable to hunker down on the City Park lawn with family and friends and cheer on my cohorts instead.
But this year, I’m planning to dust the cobwebs of my kazoo and join my colleagues in the annual parade march. So if you’re out there, be sure to wave and say hi. I won’t be hard to miss — I’ll be the one who looks decidedly out of step with the rest of the group (anything vaguely resembling dancing has never been my strong suit).
Whether my presence will interrupt the string of blue ribbon awards remains to be seen. I know I can march in a straight line. And I’m sure I can blow into a kazoo. But if they throw any fancy moves into the routine, we could be in big trouble.
I’m hoping that our entry will be close enough to the beginning of the parade so that as soon as we pass the judges’ stand, I can quickly shed my revolutionary era costume and return to my familiar spot on the City Park lawn to down a cold one and watch the rest of the parade with my family.
Though the 3rd of July Torchlight Parade begins at 6:30 pm, if you plan on attending, be sure to get there well before that. It’s always a wonderful evening…and a great kickoff to the July 4th festivities for the following day.
Related Reading: Why Nobody Leaves Benicia For The 4th of July
Can’t wait to see you and your kazoo! We’ll be there cheering you on! See you Friday!
Amy
Be sure to cheer for a little rhythm (I need all the help I can get!)