By GARRET JAROS/YachatsNews
YACHATS – Something special flowed through the sea-salted air of Yachats’ Fourth of July celebration this year. Something only glimpsed in the explosion of color and fanciful fun. Something that outshined the sizzle and pop of fireworks.
And that something – shimmering in the hearty greetings of “Happy Fourth!” between friends and neighbors, visitors and locals in an ever-expanding sea of smiles – was an inescapable feeling of unity.
“The best part about the Fourth is the camaraderie of Americans,” said Marine Corps veteran Ron Stacy of Waldport. “It’s just a different feeling than the average day. I like the feeling, it’s like we pull together a little bit more.”
Stacy stood tall as the Marine representative during the morning’s Salute to Veterans event which drew a large crowd who sang patriotic songs and cheered for those who answered the call to serve our country.
“This is just a special time for family and friends, a time for people to be closer than they are on a day-to-day basis and I am a proud vet and happy to be here today,” Stacy said. “I love this area and I love Yachats.”
Hannah Barrett of Yachats felt that connection as she prepared to partake in the La de da Parade as a member of the crowd-favorite Yachats Precision Umbrella Drill Team who twirled and twisted like rainbow-colored butterflies dancing in a dream.
“This is just such a community event – especially here where there’s so many different kinds of people,” Barrett said. “And with everything going on in the world and so many different opinions and stuff about everything, it’s just a great time where people put a lot of that aside and we’re all having fun together. Having fun and just kind of pushing that away. Yeah, it’s community.”
Dustin Friedman of Tempe descended upon Yachats with his entire family, all of whom were decked head-to-toe in red, white and blue in preparation for their entry into the parade as the Perch Street Pilgrims.
“The Fourth is about freedom,” Friedman said. “We come here to celebrate everything good. We get to eat and celebrate and be with friends and have family together. How often do you get this many people together?”
Yachats on July Fourth has that small-town feel from a bygone era, he said. A place he has loved celebrating Independence Day since his days growing up in Bend.
“I love this town,” he said. “It’s beautiful out and it is the best place to come on the Fourth. Fireworks are out over the bay, and I remember as a kid coming to the beach was the best.”
But Friedman did have one suggestion for making it better – “I wish there was a hot dog eating contest.”
His 12-year-old son, Cannon, said for the holiday they actually wanted to be with his grandparents, who live in Bend and don’t get to see that often but have a beach house in Yachats.
“I love it here,” he said. “First of all — because of the beach. You don’t get that in Arizona. And the cool temperature. You don’t get any of that in Arizona in the summer. It’s really nice here.”
When asked his favorite part of the Fourth, Cannon did not miss a beat.
“Celebrating this country,” he said. When pressed he allowed a bit more. “It’s mainly about celebrating the country but the fireworks are an upside to that too.”
And yet, even on a glorious day with the sun shimmering on a crashing green sea to serve as backdrop, no Yachats Fourth of July celebration truly gets off the ground without a few eggs getting broke. This year was no exception.
One only had to follow the trail of those who waddled away from the Yachats Lions’ all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast, which for its second year-in-a-row served 400 hungry revelers who managed to go through, among other things 900 eggs.
Weaving brightly through the day of course, was the La de da Parade comprised of 30 eclectic groups who marched, danced and sang their way along a route lined with the biggest crowd locals say they have ever seen at the event.
Messages of “You are loved” and “Light always wins” streamed by amidst a forest of animal costumes and low-slung basset hounds who somehow lost their position from last year when they happily followed the paper mache seagulls with their steady supply of whip cream droppings.
After the parade passed and the collective collapsing of camp chairs picked up where the final fire trucks’ honks and sirens faded, the Prudell family of Corvallis shared their thoughts on why Yachats for the Fourth.
“It’s the people,” Joe Prudell said. “We live here part time, so we have a house and every year we invite all our friends to come and enjoy it together.”
For his eight-year-old son, Ronan, it is all about “hanging out with all my friends and lighting off fireworks,” he said. “And I love the duck race.” As to the meaning of the holiday, he said simply – “Independence and having fun.”
His mom, Kat, agreed with the fun part and then shared her thoughts about the day.
“To me the Fourth of July means the celebration of democracy and the parade is a great way to come out and have fun and meet the community members,” she said. “And my impression of the parade – it’s unique and homegrown.”
Finally, in the spirit of the day and to make sure no one was left wanting, the Friedman family were enlightened about the Yachats Ladies Club hot dog sale, where president Huck Huckins was busy working the grill.
“This is new and we hope we sell out today,” she said.
For Huckins, who moved to Yachats 20 years ago by way of Powder River County Montana, the Fourth is about patriotism and what she enjoys most – “all the silly costumes.”
“My husband was in the Air Force for 24 years so to me it’s just a continuation of being patriotic and appreciating what service people do for our country.”
It was on this day, 248 years ago, the Second Continental Congress officially adopted the Declaration of Independence. The first organized Independence Day celebration took place in 1777 in Philadelphia and Boston.
- Garret Jaros is YachatsNews’ full-time reporter and can be reached at GJaros@YachatsNews.com
