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Liberty Parade: Get Crafty and Join the Most Colorful Fourth of July Festivities in Town

By Jessica Lyons

Why stand on the sidewalk at your next Fourth of July parade when you could be in it?

The Elkland Art Center is preparing for its upcoming 13th annual Liberty Parade, the most colorful, eclectic and whimsical Independence Day celebration in town! Sound interesting? You’ve still got time to get involved.

Celebrating the rights we enjoy in our nation and everything from clean water to artistic expression, this one-of-a-kind parade is one you don’t want to miss.

Friends and neighbors get together every year to create the giant puppets and decorations in the months leading up to the parade, and then they carry them through the streets of Todd every year. This fun event is also a celebration of the community’s local improvement projects, like its growing food truck and its Todd Listening Project initiative.

The Liberty Parade

In a show of support for the Todd Listening Project, this year’s parade theme will be “Tuning In” and it will play on its 2014 theme, “Sound.”

“This will be my first year organizing the event with the board of directors,” said Jaime McGirt-Gundlach, the center’s new artistic director. “We wanted to play off the 2014 parade theme of sound and really revisit the theme since listening has become such a big part of our community.”

Participation from volunteers and those who want to walk in the parade is highly encouraged by connecting with the Elkland Art Center on Facebook or signing up or their newsletter. Costumes, props, and other float pieces will be available for participants to walk with in the parade.

In addition to celebrating the community and the day, the parade also serves to raise money for the Elkland Art Center. Currently the event has a Crowdrise page with a goal of $10,00 and is at a current total of $1,500. Donations can be made at any time and will be used to support future parades put together by the art center.

“The fundraising is an important part to keep future events and parades from the art center going, the money will be used to pay the expenses and keep events free,” McGirt-Gundlach said. “We set the bar high this year and need a little under $9,000 to reach our goal and pay expenses.”

Along with its Facebook page, the Elkland Art Center has also set up a Twitter and Instagram to recap events and put out updates for future programs.

Check out elklandartcenter.org to learn more about the Liberty Parade.

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