PORT CARBON - Children were decked out in patriotic colors to celebrate American's Independence on Thursday during the annual Port Carbon Fourth of July Parade.
Jen Holiday, Port Carbon, had her children, Brady, 6, and Molly, 21 months, dressed up and riding a birthday cake.
"We're in the parade every year and we do a 'Happy birthday, America' or traditional patriotic theme," Jen Holiday said. "We have Lady Liberty and Uncle Sam."
Holiday said that it seems like there are more and more children participating every year. The family began participating five years ago, when Brady was just 1-year-old.
Chuck Joy, president of the Port Carbon Citizens Committee, said that the event is open to children up to age 12 and that there were 104 registered.
In addition to the children, Joy also said the parade included the Third Brigade Band, fire companies from around the county and the Winter Carnival princesses.
Four horses owned by Raynor Leiby, Lewistown Valley, were pulling carts. Two towed one advertising Heisler's Dairy and the other two pulled a cart advertising D.G. Yuengling & Son Inc.
This year's honorary grand marshal was Agnes McGowan Reiley, wife of Pottsville Mayor John D.W. Reiley.
"She's originally a Port Carbon girl," Joy said.
Joy said the parade has been going on for at least 55 years and he's been participating for the last 27 years.
He got involved when his daughter was 2 years old and she is now 30.
"I think a lot of people come looking forward to it," Joy said. "I work in Hamburg and have people tell me how nice the parade is and don't even know I'm part of it. We're the only ones in the county, as far as I know, that do the parade and fireworks on the fourth."
Tracey Zokuskie, Saint Clair, was participating in the parade with her family for the second year.
"We're three different families that decided to do a float together," she said.
The float featured a flag in the background made up of children's handprints, eagles also made up of their handprints and were red, white and blue balloons in the float with the children.
"I think it's a great thing," Zokuskie said. "We used to come and just watch, then we decided we were going to come do a float. Once we start something, we keep going with it."
Joe Ferraro, Pottsville, representing Anthracite WWII Living History, was driving a military vehicle that featured a chicken wearing a medal in a cage on vehicle's front.
Ferraro explained that a chicken was considered a hero because, as the 6th Cavalry linking up with Patton's 3rd Army in southwest France was coming up along a barnyard in a small village outside Bayeaux, France, the troops noticed a chicken flying around the barn and diving at an object on the ground.
The chicken was actually diving at a German machine gun, and the soldier then partially stood up and swatted at the bird with his helmet, giving his position away.
Known as 1st Lt. Henrietta Hen, the chicken was wearing the distinguished flying cross.
"This is history," Ferraro said. "It's the only parade around for the Forth of July and I think it's a good parade."
The morning's parade started off a day of festivities and fireworks were planned for Thursday night.