Watsonville Celebrates the Fourth of July with a Bang!

Every available inch of sidewalk along the parade route was covered with chairs, blankets and eagerly awaiting children and adults as the annual  got under way Monday.

The parade usually draws about 30,000 people each year, and Monday was no exception, as the grand marshals, Mas and Marcia Hasimoto, led the way through the crowd.  

The Watsonville Motorcycle Police put on a show of circles and tricky maneuvers, followed by the Watsonville Fire Department's old and new fire engines. Even Smokey the Bear took a ride in the Cal Fire truck, reminding everyone to have a safe and sane Fourth of July. As the parade carried on, the crowd got excited with the dancing from theJazzercize group.  

The entertainment continued with lots of local groups, including hot rods, low riders and bicycles. The tractors took their turn down the parade route to represent the agricultural side of Watsonville. To end the parade, the horses and their riders took center stage.