Redlands 4th of July Parade & Fireworks

It’s pretty much the same show every year, with very little variation. There’s a marching band dressed up as American soldiers from Colonial times that comes out for the Pledge of Allegiance, there’s a prayer, a few military planes fly over, some skydivers land in the stadium, a concert band plays the same songs as so many years before (like Looney Tunes and Jaws), a local cover band takes over, a million thank yous are read off as their equipment is taken down later for the fireworks, and then the good part: the fireworks. As good as the fireworks are, they’re kind of predictable too. Many of the same songs are recycled from year to year, like God Bless the U.S.A. by Lee Greenwood (yuck) and America the Beautiful by Ray Charles (much better).