LAGUNA BEACH, Calif.—“Let’s give it up for Laguna Beach Fire Department for the amazing work they do for us here!” the parade announcer shouted as multiple fire vehicles drove past Laguna Beach City Hall. “Thank you for keeping us all safe today!”
Along the sidewalk, hundreds of Southern California residents watched the Annual Laguna Beach Patriots Day Parade on March 5.
Some of them already found their spots and posted up their blankets and chairs an hour before the parade started at 11 a.m.
After last year’s cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2022 return marked the 55th Laguna Beach Patriots Day Parade, honoring local heroes who have served the community and the country at times of emergencies and war—by showcasing civic and veterans’ organizations, school bands, vintage cars, and multiple novelty groups.
“I thought it was very organized this year,” Stan Fine of Laguna Woods told The Epoch Times. “They did a great job keeping things in order and we had a great time.”
Fine, who was in the parade dressed as a clown, was joined by two other Laguna Woods neighbors, Debbie Spangenthal and Margo Bender, who also enjoyed making people laugh.
“This was one of my first parades since graduating ‘clown college,’” Spangenthal, who goes by the clown name of “Tootsie,” told The Epoch Times. “It just went by too fast!”
Beginning at Park Avenue and Legion Street, the parade routed with a right-hand turn on Glenneyre Street, before swinging another right on Forrest Avenue and finishing shortly past Laguna Beach City Hall.
In the early morning, Laguna Beach Police Department officers closed off roads along the parade route as well as portions of downtown Laguna Beach to accommodate pedestrians and those partaking in the parade.
“You do have to wait a long time, but we had so much fun,” Bender said as she handed The Epoch Times reporter a small toy monkey. “Even with all this wind, we had such a wonderful time out there!”
The onshore cool ocean breeze was met with a sunny but cloudy blue sky contrasting vividly with the bright red, white, and blue American flags being waived by parents and children as parade participants—including multiple high school bands—marched past spectators.
As the Palmdale Highschool Band paraded past the Laguna Beach Fire station, one homeless gentleman wearing a bright red jacket encouraged the teens as they were approaching the finish line.
“Atta kids, keep turning it up!” the man shouted. “You got this, make it loud!”
As the parade wrapped up shortly before 1 p.m., children who were marching without parents quickly joined them near the finish line.
Even the brisk ocean breeze could not hinder the smiles blossoming throughout the event.
Before Bender and her fellow clown volunteers backed up their small SUV to return to Laguna Woods, she pulled out a deck of cards to perform one last “guess the card” trick, which she guessed correctly right away as being the seven of diamonds.
“Oh, it’s an easy trick!” she said. “Here I’ll teach you, really quick!”
