For Chaffee County, a return to celebrating the Fourth of July as in years past was satisfied at least partially. There was red, white, and blue attire, kids on bicycles, a pancake breakfast, people licking ice cream, and live music.
Uncle Sam wandered the Chaffee Arts Event in McKinney Park in Buena Vista on the Fourth of July. Photo by Tara Flanagan.
There were fireworks and festivals in the parks — back after a year’s hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Neither the Buena Vista Chamber of Commerce nor the Salida Chamber of Commerce put on their traditional community parades; deciding these crowd-pleasing spectacles might pack people too close together on streets.
Salida enjoyed a Fourth of July as a blast from the past, starting that afternoon. Live music filled the air at Riverside Park and beyond.
Children as well as adults enjoyed intricate chalk art and there was a nonstop procession of people strolling, bicycling and riding scooters on the F Street plaza. All of the ice cream shops saw a steady flow of treat-seekers, with a line of those waiting, spilling out on the sidewalk.
Great lighting on this bike in Salida’s July Fourth downtown Bike Parade. Merrell Bergin photo
Instead of the traditional parade of floats, Shriners on tiny vehicles, animals, and marching units, as darkness fell, the bike parade took its place. This time, community members rode down G Street and around downtown with their bicycles decked out in lights, all led by a police escort.
Donna Cole, one of the event organizers explained, “We had a great crowd for our 4th of July celebration. SBA wants to thank Rotary, all the volunteers, and local sponsors that made it happen. We want to give a big shout-out to the City of Salida for the excellent fireworks show.”
Ready to party in Salida on July Fourth, a rollerblade skater leads the parade, with a swarm of lighted bicycles in hot pursuit down G Street. Merrell Bergin photo
As the sun started to set, the action in Salida moved to North F Street, though many had already stationed themselves comfortably in the plaza’s Adirondack chairs, under the new pergolas, or packed in along the riverbank and on the F Street bridge.
Riverside Park featured live music, playing to a capacity crowd, with dancers showing their enthusiasm.
Buena Vista hosted the Chaffee Art in the Park event, with an enthusiastic audience of buyers. Photo by Tara Flanagan.
Buena Vista kicked off the Fourth of July with a town fun run, complete with awards.
The main draw for pedestrians, beside the flag-festooned Main street — the Chaffee Arts event in McKinney Park, was full of arts, animals, food, fun and yes –people.
While the official parade was — yes, officially canceled — a group of unofficial paraders gathered near the Buena Vista High school to form what was billed as a citizens motorcade.
The loose group of around 24 vehicles took a run down Main St., then charted a course that appeared to take it through literally every Buena Vista neighborhood.
The biggest event of the night was the fireworks — in Salida over “S” Mountain and in Buena Vista at the Rodeo Grounds. With firework shows kicking off at dusk, around 9:30 p.m., everyone was already in an unfettered, festive mood.
With ooh’s and ah’s, the displays built to a climax.
A goat from Jumping Good Goat Dairy eyes a flag on the goat corral. Photo by Tara Flanagan.
The final volley resulted in cheers that could be heard from all quarters, in what seemed to be a collective moment of admiration. “We’re back” seemed to be the hoped-for result.
Perhaps next year — parades.
Featured image: One of the final volleys highlighting July Fourth Fireworks in Salida. Merrell Bergin photo
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