The 23rd annual Westchester parade kicked off with a boom. Dozens of kids led the Pledge of Allegiance for the short patriotic program, emceed by 17's Jim Scott.
After the crowd sang the Star Spangled Banner, they took to the streets.
"It's kind of the Disneyland thing for a small town where everyone gets together and has this parade,” said resident Kyle Carter.
Many came dressed in their patriotic best, and one woman showed up in a Statue of Liberty costume on roller skates.
"It’s a tradition for our family now,” said Eva Billings. “Our kids look forward to it every year, and they want to decorate their bikes and their scooters. We have a couple old vintage cars we like to get all zoozhed up for the big day.”
This tradition started as a simple bike parade in 1989 by the Benham family. Now, it's grown to a full show with cars and vendors.
"This doesn't happen in every community in our country on the 4th of July,” said organizer Darren Powers. “I’m sure glad it happens here."
Some traveled from their doorstep and others from as far as Los Angeles to attend.
“I haven’t done much for 4th of July and this is one of the best ones that I can remember in a long time,” said Gene Loza, who drove from L.A. to see the parade. "This is a nation that's also a family, despite all of our differences and everything, we're here, we're independent, we're free."
The neighborhood spectacle is Westchester's way of saying “Happy Birthday America.”
"I’ve been coming since I was baby,” said Haley Hettinger. “The neighborhood and the community getting together to celebrate the 4th of July shows the friendship and hope that we have as a community."
