The Connection

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Nobody wants a rained-on parade, but the gloomy weather this Fourth of July did little to quench River Falls’ community spirit. More than 300 of the community’s residents gathered on Saturday, July 9, for their postponed annual Independence Day parade. Fire trucks and ambulances lined up, along with decorated bikes and floats, festooned with both American colors and smiling children wielding water pistols and sticky string. The smell of grilled burgers and hot dogs floated above the sounds of swimmers splashing in the chlorine-turquoise pool.

A multi-generational tradition now, lifelong River Falls resident Holly Schaeffer said of the parade, “I will be 30 years old this year, and I can’t remember a time when it didn’t go on. When I was young I used to ride my bike in the parade, and as a teen I was a lifeguard and rode in the parade, and then I was a member of the fire department and drove in the parade, and now I’m a mother and I’m watching the parade.” She held her daughter Charlotte, whose favorite part of the event is the fire trucks.

“We had all of Station 10, the River Road Station, and all of Station 30, the Falls Road Station, and all the apparatus of those two stations here for the parade,” said Corinne Piccardi, deputy chief of the Volunteer Fire Department.

“Thanks to the River Falls Committee for letting us come out,” said Zac Ebough, part of an ambulance crew, “We love doing it every year.”

Paul Reichert, River Falls resident, float driver, and father of two, felt similarly. “I love decorating the car with the girls and seeing all our neighbors celebrate the Fourth of July. Or, well, Ninth of July really.” Reichert’s float full of children from Carderock Elementary School had their own answer, when asked what the parade meant to them, replying in unison: “Spraying people with water and silly string,” before eventually conceding to Reichert that “having fun with neighbors” was also an attraction.

This theme was widely repeated, from Jill Phillips who brought in the petting zoo Squeals on Wheels to Nancy Kauffunger and Deepika Cheriathundam who organized the event. Almost universally people concurred it was the sense of community, the chance to get together and have fun with neighbors that really made the parade special. Kauffunger and Cheriathundam admitted the decision to postpone was nerve-wracking but ultimately worthwhile. “We were nervous that because of the rain date a lot of people might not come,” said Cheriathundam, “But as you can see, we were really happy with the turnout.”

After the parade, an award for best float was given out, people filled up on watermelon, grilled burgers, and hot dogs, and a series of pool games were held: a coin toss, an egg toss, and more.