The Hastings Fourth of July parade had sunshine, warm weather and just about the right amount of parade.
Before rain moved into the area later in the evening, the parade enjoyed the best part of the holiday weather. Saturday, July 4, was warm and mostly sunny through the day and well into the parade, with the temperature topping out around 88 degrees.
The parade began at 7 p.m. and traveled eastbound on 15th Street West, from General Sieben Drive to Westview Drive. The route gave parade goers a clear, familiar place to gather, and the weather cooperated long enough for the parade to make its way through Hastings under summer sun.
From the moment the VFW Flag Bearers passed as the first entry, to the two Hastings Police Department cruisers bringing up the end, the parade took about 30 minutes for spectators in one spot to see everything. The full parade took just over an hour to travel from General Sieben Drive to Westview Drive.
That timing is part of what makes the Hastings parade work. It is long enough to feel like a full community event, but not so long that families are left waiting through a drawn-out evening. It moves well, gives people plenty to see, and still leaves time for everyone to transition into the rest of the night’s Fourth of July plans.
The parade also served as the sunny centerpiece of a day that would later turn wet. The sky stayed mostly clear through the afternoon and into the parade, giving residents a warm and bright start to the evening. By around 9 p.m., rain moved into the area, eventually soaking fireworks fans at Hastings Golf Club and Events before the fireworks display began after a short delay.
For the parade, though, Hastings got the timing right. The sun was still out, the route was active, and the crowd had a chance to enjoy one of the main traditions of the local Independence Day celebration before the weather changed.
The parade remains one of the most visible parts of the Fourth of July in Hastings. It gives veterans groups, city representatives, local organizations and residents a place in the celebration, while giving families along the route a chance to take in the holiday without leaving town.
This year’s parade offered exactly that, a warm summer evening, a manageable route, a good pace and a community crowd gathered along 15th Street West.