Julian Parade Cancelled
Last updated 6/30/2020 at 9:55am
Each year, people of all ages gather along Main Street in Julian to celebrate the 4th of July holiday.
The small town becomes packed full of residents, visitors, bands, classic vehicles and floats all enjoying the fun and festivities. However, this year COVID-19 came along and introduced a whole new era of social distancing and concern for each other’s health. Quickly, the idea of gathering in mass became an issue.
After much discussion and deliberation, the Julian 4th of July Parade Committee made the difficult decision to cancel this year’s parade. The uncertainty of obtaining event permits and wanting to do what was best for the community caused the ultimate decision. With so many events being canceled due to COVID-19, the Julian 4th of July Parade Committee wanted nothing more than to be able to provide an enjoyable event for the community. However, with so many restrictions still in place, the Committee felt that they were unable to move forward with the parade.
The Julian 4th of July Parade Committee held out on making a decision for as long as possible. Once it became obvious that obtaining the necessary permits to hold the parade would be a major obstacle, the Committee knew that a cancellation was inevitable.
Even more so was the concern for the health of those who might want to attend the parade while still maintaining the appropriate spacing needs. Plus there was a decrease in donations for the parade during the pandemic, which would have ultimately caused a much smaller event if it had continued. The resulting parade would have meant losing bands, the much-loved vintage airplane flyover and more. The Committee will roll over the donations received so far to next year’s parade.
The Julian 4th of July Parade Committee is made up of 12 community volunteers who spend most of the year planning the parade. On the day of the event, an additional 20 – 30 volunteers step into assist with directing traffic, transporting dignitaries along the parade route, judging floats and checking in parade entrants.
Approximately 3,000 people attend the popular parade each year, which has been in existence since 1993. Even though the 2020 parade has been canceled, the Committee will still decorate Main Street in Julian with flags and bunting. The Julian 4th of July Parade Committee hopes that residents and visitors will still be able to enjoy the town in its festive glory.
Please be sure to join us in 2021 when the 4th of July parade in Julian will be back, better than ever!
