Being back home in the small town I grew up in is hard at times.  Ok, so it was not my first choice of where to live post graduate school.  But one thing I have always loved is the Fourth of July celebration.  It is the perfect small town holiday, complete with an old car show, parade and fireworks.  Since moving to Mason when I was five, I have only missed a few Fourth of July celebrations and they were for exceptional circumstances.

Our parade has been accurately nicknamed the tractor parade.  This year’s parade was about forty minutes long with a grand total of forty-eight tractors.  Now these aren’t lawn mowing tractors or the big tractors used in the fields but old tractors; John Deere, McCormick, Farmall and others. My favorite are the steam engines. Growing up my best friend in elementary school, her family was (and still is) huge into them, they are always part of the parade.  The ideas of the enormous old machines (that still work) fascinate me.

While some tractors do pull floats, most on their own. Citizens of all ages drive their tractors; we like to start them young.

Tractors are not the only thing there are some floats.  The band always has the volunteer band playing. It is the easiest band event (yes, I was in band and did the parade).  There are politicians, churches, firetrucks (not just Mason’s), and other local businesses.  It isn’t the most glamourous parade in the world, but it is small town pride.

High school me read for the parade

Not long after the parade many town members and other visiting make their way towards the county fairgrounds for our fireworks display.  The fireworks start just after dark, here around 10pm and only last about half an hour.  It is the prefect end to the day as we celebrate our Independence.