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Good morning, Redwood City!
Yesterday marked another lively Independence Day. Thousands of people and hundreds of floats filled the streets of downtown Redwood City yesterday for the Fourth of July parade. In case you didn't already know, it's regarded as Northern California's largest Independence Day parade. Linda Cardellini, the parade's grand marshal, spoke with fans outside of the Fox Theater during the post-parade festivities. I asked attendees what they loved most about the parade— the twirling folklórico dancers, vintage cars and local dancers were crowd favorites.
Did you know that Redwood City's Fourth of July celebration dates back to 1939?
The idea for a celebration in Redwood City was thought up by Ole Olson, a car dealer, Walt Maloney, a butcher and Charles Holt, a real estate agent. They felt that people shouldn't have to leave town to celebrate the Fourth of July, America's most important holiday. It started as a carnival and a rodeo, until the mid-1950s when the construction of Highway 101 led to its eventual end. While the days of Redwood City's rodeo are over, live horses still trot down the parade route each year.
Thank you Cathy Baird for sending us your photo from the parade! If you'd like to share photos for our newsletter, send us an email.
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