Bright Penny Brewing, now a well-known establishment in Mebane, opened in May 2019 in the…
July 15, 2024
On the 4th of July, we come together with our friends and family to celebrate our country's independence. Many of us host cookouts, drive to the beach or set off fireworks to celebrate this day. However, some of us turn to our cities to see what they offer locally. Luckily for Mebanites, our City has us covered!
The Mebane Historical Museum annually hosts its 4th of July Parade in partnership with the Mebane Women's Club. This parade takes place the morning of the 4th, making it an excellent way for you and your family to start Independence Day festivities. The fun usually begins at 9 a.m. with parade registration, activities, games, and more! You can groove to the live music beginning around 9:30 a.m., performed by a fantastic live orchestra or music group. The parade typically starts at 10:30 a.m., followed by a side yard raffle at 11:30 a.m.
This parade is unique and different from Mebane's other notorious parades because it is non-motorized. This means no cars, trucks, electric scooters, or any other vehicle run by a motor. The parade encourages you to bring your bikes, strollers, skateboards, and scooters decked out in your most festive red, white, and blue! Non-motorized parades make for a much safer environment for little kids, who make up most of the museum's 4th of July parade attendees. This year, so many bikes, scooters, and other non-motorized devices were decorated with festive streamers, flags, and signs that all honored our nation's birthday.
I showed up to the parade around 9:15 a.m. when the event was just starting, and it was already lively with kids playing at the playground, riding on their bikes, and visiting the many vendors on site. People were set up with chairs, ready to listen to the orchestra and watch as the parade participants strolled by. The live orchestra performed many tributes to America and blew it out of the water! Following the music, students from Bradford Academy blessed the crowd with the Pledge of Allegiance alongside a partial reading of the Declaration of Independence. After that, this year's Grand Marshalls, Chief Wellons of the Mebane Fire Department and Chief McKinney from the Mebane Police Department, began lining up parade-goers at the starting line. Then, the parade fun began!
Children, parents, and even dogs walked in their 4th of July best for the Mebanites to enjoy! What seemed like an endless number of people strolled through the parade with smiles and were happy to celebrate our country. Getting up early on the 4th to see the parade was worth it! When the parade-goers returned to the start, the kids were met with Uncle Sam, Mickey Mouse, and Winnie the Pooh! While we waited for the raffle to kick off, we took pictures, played around, and cooled off with SnoBalls from Polar Pandas!
If you live in or close to Mebane and still need to check out the Mebane Historical Museum's 4th of July Parade, I highly recommend you put it on your calendar for next year! Listening to the orchestra, watching the parade, or participating is fun for the whole family. The parade is an excellent event for your little one to join because they get to spend time with kids their age, celebrate our country, and even get some energy out early in the morning. You won't want to miss the parade next Independence Day, so make a point to visit Mebane and see what all the fuss is about!