- photo by Martin Lynn
This is the end of Waterspot1.
It's the end of a long chapter for us. I have raked up my last pinecone. We were lucky to have had this unique experience, and will treasure our happy memories.
Wild burros at Lake Pleasant.
Maybe it's related to this marching pretzel!
There was a group marching for a local food pantry, featuring a box of Cheerios and an avocado. Oh yes, and the spoon and fork back there!
Pom Pom girls from Anacortes High School.
There are always a few boats. We haven't seen this group here before.
The Community Theatre is doing "Guys and Dolls" this summer.
The Soroptomists, who loan out wheelchairs and this year danced for us!
The Rotary club and other volunteers are on their feet the whole time, valiantly trying to keep kids from being run over by fire trucks, etc. The City couldn't pull this off without them.
We had political parties. Very far apart, literally. One at the beginning and one at the end. But very peaceful, considering!
A giant red chicken was with something called Slingshot Adventure, which is an amusement park in Burlington.
The marching beer bottles from the Rockfish Grill and Anacortes Brewery, one of our favorite places. A sign of the times, only four this year instead of six, no buy-one-get-one beer passes, and a lot of hairy legs.
The Masons featuring famous Masons Ben Franklin and John Wayne. Plus a float.
This is the end of Waterspot6. Go to Waterspot7 to continue.
Miscellaneous other photos of the parade!
Then the police car means everything is over for this year!
And the Scouts carrying the flags.
Time to fold up the chairs and go home.
A very fun float featuring the Anacortes Mermen. This is an annual fundraiser held this year by the Salish Sea School and showing lots of local guys wearing fish tails and showing a few bare chests.
And the DAR brought their flags.
Best Patriotic Outfits!
4th of July Parade in Anacortes
The military vehicle collector guys are the grand finale. We always assume they are harmless and just like machines and an excuse to drive them around.
I am not sure who the dog was marching with, but he had a cool outfit.
Two marching hot dogs from Dockside Dogs. Use your imagination!
July 4, 2025
A second public appearance of the Erica this summer! The OARS group outdid themselves with a showy drill team routine this year.
July 2 and 3 brought us blustery cold wind, so we are still waiting for summer to arrive! The fourth was mostly clear with light wind and a high of 64, so good parade weather.
We arrived early to snag our favorite spot at 10th And Commercial, on the center line. We only missed this parade twice - there wasn't one in 2000, the Covid year, and we didn't arrive until July 5 in 2021.
The Rotary Club, besides providing so many volunteers to keep the parade going, has this great band! The Lederhosen is a new thing this year!
...Followed by the pickleball club. Pickleball is very big here and you hear their bouncing balls everywhere. They have taken over most of the tennis courts.
And the always fabulous Twisted Pixies, who came this year as dancing bumblebees!
Followed by many cool old cars!
A lot of local business were in the parade.
And another crowd favorite, the beautiful and spirited Mexican horses and riders from Cabalgantes Del Northwest, in Mt. Vernon.
And candidates. The Port Authority seems to have some hot races this time.
Anacortes Towing.
SignDog makes signs and boat graphics.
Waterspot6
Our annual 4th of July portrait taken by one of the other seniors sitting by us. We brought our fleece jackets along which we needed but we had a mostly blue sky and the sun was out. The locals were in shorts.
The Sons of the American Revolution marched in period unifoms.
Chilly Willy's is a new ice cream truck in town.
Our newest restaurant, Just Breakfast!
- photo by Dennis Law
Naung Mai Thai Kitchen always seems like the best kind of American story to me. They have a successful restaurant here, and always have something in the parade, so they have become part of an American tradition. And always lots of American flags.
The city maintains this antique fire truck which always leads the parade with the Mayor Matt Miller on board. I don't know who the other guys are. Maybe the City Council.
The Navy sent these two guys, which roared above Commercial Avenue in maybe 5 seconds to the cheers of everyone.
The Statue of Liberty was there. Marching with the Democrats I think. And this cute puppy.
Azusa is a garden shop in nearby Mt. Vernon.