The sun was shining bright and the streets were full of spectators for the 23rd Annual Fourth of July Parade presented by the LAX Coastal Chamber!
Nearly 50 entries made their way down Loyola Blvd. for the festivities, including crowd favorites like the Great Pyrenees, marching bands and the Calliope Car. New entries this year included the L.A. Ghostbusters and Westchester Park, who showcased all their happenings from pickleball and lacrosse to bingo at the Senior Center and skateboarding.
For this year’s theme, “Ultimate Summer,” community members designed floats that highlighted their favorite summertime activities. The Westchester Arts & Music Block Party entry paid tribute to SoCal’s great outdoor music venues and had a live band perform, while WISH Community Schools’ entry was all about celebrating the ultimate summer beach barbecue, earning them the Chair’s Award.
St. Anastasia’s wowed the judges and spectators with their “Best Overall” float, which featured a giant wave and beach scene complete with mascot Peppy the Panther lounging in the sand. The school scored extra points for using recycled materials in the design, including old homework and e-waste.
Kentwood Elementary School took home the “Spirit of the Parade” award for its depiction of “Camp Kentwood,” that featured fun camp activities like kayaking. The Mayor’s Award went to the 501st Legion, for bringing characters from a galaxy far, far away to Westchester!
The parade would not be possible without the support of the Parade Committee, the entries, more than 100 volunteers, the residents of Loyola Blvd. and all the attendees who come out to celebrate July 4 at the event! Thank you to major event sponsors: Decron Properties, Zacha Homes, the Stephanie Younger Group, the Hometown News, Drollinger Properties, Rotary Club of Westchester, Jane St. John/REMAX Estate Properties, LAWA, Suarez Team, Unibail Rodamco Westfield, Cedars-Sinai, Otis College and Sunset Studios.
Check out this year’s parade photos by Zsuzsi Steiner at https://zsuzsiphotography.pic-time.com/-laxcoastal4thofjulyparade.