Fourth of July Patriotic Tour
Council travels by trolley to homes of contest winners, presents Pee-Wee Parade awards at library
This year’s Santa Clarita Independence Day parade was canceled due to the pandemic, but the Americana celebrations came knocking at the door of a handful of local residents’ homes as part of the city’s Fourth of July Patriotic Tour.
On Saturday morning, the Santa Clarita City Council hopped on a trolley decked out in American flags to visit three finalists in the city’s tour contest and awarded them certificates and prizes for winning.
The contest challenged residents to decorate their homes or business for the holiday. The city also
conducted a Pee-Wee Parade, where participants competed to create the bestdesigned miniature parade floats at their homes.
“I was really excited to be able to do something right here in our community for our youth and kids to celebrate the birth of our nation,” said Santa Clarita Councilwoman Laurene Weste, who spearheaded the tour and parade idea following the cancellation of the parade. “We had so many people participate, and the kids and families got out, and even got their pets out. I’m just really proud to be part of the Santa Clarita family.”
In third place was Liz Bunkell, whose home featured everything from a large Captain America inflatable to multiple flamingo ornaments with “face masks,” she said.
“I’m a health care provider so I had to make sure that they were safe wearing their masks and they’re even socially distancing,” she said jokingly. “My dad was a Marine and my mom was in the Daughters of the American Revolution, so I grew up very patriotic. Celebrating and decorating lets us bring some joy to the community.”
In second place were residents J.C. and Celia Mejia, who transformed their two-story home into a sea of red, white, and blue from top to bottom with flags, streamers and wreaths.
Residents Mike Herrington — the longtime Hart High School football coach — and Nicole Fox-Herrington took first place with their large, wooden USA display, as well as multiple cartoon-like fireworks ornaments.
“My husband and I always decorate really big for Christmas and Halloween, and this year we decided to go all out for the Fourth of July as well,” said Fox-Herrington.
The tour ended at the Old Town Newhall Library with 7-year-old Ella Fernandez, the Pee-Wee Parade grand marshal, who presented the Sweepstakes Award to float winner Christine Marmion.
“I’m so happy,” Ella said after a photo opportunity with council members. She donned an American-themed cap, electric guitar-shaped sunglasses and butterfly wings.
Her mother, Edna, said both have participated in the annual parade and, with this year’s cancellation, the mother-daughter duo wanted to celebrate by partaking in the city’s competition.
“I’m very involved in the community, and I wanted her to be involved as well. These events have been great for her to get involved as she gets older,” she said.
Throughout the holiday, the city also livestreamed parade and fireworks coverage from previous years.