Claremont Celebrates 250 Years of the United States

 Well, another Independence Day has come and, partly, gone by. This years birthday was an extra special one - 250 years don't come along that often, and baring the efforts of one mega-narcissist whose name isn't even worth mentioning, the ideals upon which the nation was founded and which we've often fought, argued, struggled to uphold and share in their equal and fair application for all, are still worth celebrating. Claremont's hometown festival went off with a little, surprising, patter of rain, none of which detracted from the T. Willard Speakers, the Kiwanis Club's pancake breakfast, the dunk tank and other games, some Blues and Fries, long-legged Uncle Sam (who showed that he can still throw a pretty impressive kick) and, new this year, an equally long-legged Lady Liberty, the mingling with neighbors and community groups, or the early afternoon's big parade down Indian Hill.

There are always a lot of bikes in involved in the day and, with Claremont Streets for People entering the parade with a big group of riders, this year may have had more than any in recent memory. It may have been a bad day to be a hot dog, but it was a good day to share in a big celebration.

Father / daughter duo reading the Declaration of Independence at the T. Willard Speakers' Corner

the Vocal Women at the T. Willard Speakers' Corner

mmmm, lemonade

DUNK!

she's in the wind-up

Blues and Fries

front yard lemonade

Night Owls Engine 101

perhaps the best decorated bike of the entire day...

then again, if the bubbles are coming from hers... hmm?

kick it, Uncle

high 5

Mayor Stark

Congresswoman Chu

Claremont HS Cheer

I fully support that message

very apropos, Claremont Heritage pushed smudge pots along the route

Fantastic - Claremont AYSO brought a portable net so that kids watching along the route could kick a goal

the message says it all, but wait...

there is still a little time...

for some dancing in the street!