By Raiza Giorgi

After more than a year of shutdowns and many events being canceled or postponed, the Fourth of July parade is back this Independence Day, being sponsored by the Solvang Rotary Club.

“We are looking forward to getting people back together and celebrating our Independence Day with a fun parade,” said Allan Jones of Solvang Rotary.

The parade will begin at 11 a.m. with a theme of “God Bless America,”.

“The route takes a slightly different, more intimate path, through downtown because State Highway 246 is not available to us this year. Instead, the parade will begin at Alisal Rd and Oak St, travel north to Copenhagen Drive, west on Copenhagen to 2nd St., south on 2nd St. past the Solvang Festival Theatre, then east on Oak St. back to Alisal Rd.,” parade chairman Steve Palmer explained. “There will be a convenient detour in town around the Parade route with road closures starting about 10:00 am. Hwy 246 will remain open to through traffic.”

The Grand Marshals of the parade will be local first responders, in honor of their hard work and fortitude during the last year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Check-in and staging for the parade will start at 9 a.m. at the 300 block of Alisal Rd and extend to Alisal Mesa Rd, and Lot 72. Announcing and judging will take place in front of The Copenhagen House at Copenhagen Dr. and 1st St. Deadline to enter is June 30.

Following the parade there will be a barbecue in Solvang Park, corner of First Street and Mission Drive, and the Rotarians ask that people patronize local shops and restaurants to help support local business.

The fireworks, usually organized by the Santa Ynez Valley Rotary Club, is not happening due to time constraints, but the organization will be helping with the parade as will the other Rotary Clubs from Los Olivos and Buellton, Jones said.

If any business or organization wishes to have an entry in the parade visit the Solvang Rotary website at www.solvangrotary.com and download the application.