CORONADO (KGTV) — Coronado Island drew crowds from across the country Saturday as the city held its annual July 4th parade along Orange Avenue, bringing together locals and visitors to celebrate America's 250th birthday.
Red, white and blue covered the street as floats and performances lined the parade route, creating what spectators described as a spirit of unity.
For locals, the event served as a reminder of their love for the country.
"Love the USA. I mean, we're a renewal of why we're Americans and what's great about America and it kind of focuses everybody on America and being patriotic. People kind of put that aside sometimes and it brings everybody together. There's Democrats and Republicans, but we're all patriots," Jennifer Luther said.
According to the Coronado Times, the island's local newspaper, the first July 4th parade took place in 1888 when the Hotel del Coronado was close to complete. Nearly 140 years later, the tradition continues to attract visitors from well beyond the island.
Out-of-towners said this year's holiday carries special significance.
"The 250th birthday of America, which is amazing. Yeah, the vibes here are really fun," Hailey Hanson, a spectator from Washington State, said.
"Everyone's super nice and welcoming and everyone's super passionate about the 4th here, so it's really fun," Lauren Fleming, another spectator from Washington State, said.
The celebration gathered people together to honor what they say matters most: freedom.
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