DUNWOODY, Ga. — Participants and spectators from across the area flocked to Dunwoody July 4 for the city’s annual Independence Day parade, billed as the largest in Georgia.
The parade followed a 2.5-mile route, beginning near All Saints Catholic Church and marching down Mt. Vernon Road to end at Dunwoody Village. The march began at 9 a.m. and ran for around two hours, ending just as the summer heat began to set in for the day.
Nearly 100 organizations and businesses participated in this year’s parade, hosted by the Dunwoody Homeowners Association and Reporter Newspapers. Some participants included the Atlanta Falcons, the DeKalb County Cadet Squadron and even the Dunwoody Precision Lawn Chair Drill Team.
Members of the Dunwoody Precision Lawn Chair Drill Team, 57th Chairborne Division, smile and wave at the crowd during Dunwoody’s Independence Day parade.
Spectators lined their own lawn chairs along the parade route to see some of the unique displays. Nonprofit organization Vettes-4-Vets revved their sports cars for the crowd to support military veterans. The Big Idaho Potato Truck even hauled its 4-ton spud into Dunwoody for the parade.
Some parade participants tossed candy to spectating kids, while some businesses passed out fliers or merchandise to adults in the crowd. Dunwoody Mayor Lynn Deutsch and other members of the City Council rode through the parade, as did local Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops, Dunwoody police and members of the DeKalb Fire Department.
A truck bearing the 4-ton Big Idaho Potato drives through Dunwoody’s Independence Day parade July 4.
When the parade wound down, participants and spectators gathered in Dunwoody Village to enjoy food and festivities with the community.
Local chapters of the Democratic and Republican parties marched through the parade, separated by several other organizations. Democrat Sen. Raphael Warnock and gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams joined in the post-parade festivities, as did Republican Attorney General Chris Carr.
The 4th of July Parade has been a major tradition in the Dunwoody community since 1991, when residents decided to honor American soldiers and veterans as the military ended Operation Desert Storm.
