Lake’s 4th of July Parade is like the Milk Day Parade in one respect.

The first contingent of vehicles consists of cars with elected officials.

At Milk Day the public officials are taken the entire length of the parade and then returned to a reviewing stand at the beginning of the Milky Way. At least they were when I represented Harvard in the 1970’s.

In Crystal Lake’s parade they go down Dole Avenue to the lake and disappear from sight.

In previous years, there has been a reviewing stand across from the Main Beach, but I didn’t see the flat bed truck there this year.

From past experience, I knew the public officials would be lining up at city hall, so I walked down before the parade.

I was amazed at how few there were.

There were the mayor and city council folk, plus McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren.

I got a chance to thank Nygren for allowing the young political leaders from China to tour the jail last weekend, including the ICE floor, where illegal aliens are detained.

That was about it, although I admit that I didn’t get photos of all of the cars as they drove past the First United Methodist Church.

Grand Marshall Bob Blazier and his wife, plus Elyse Wood, were sitting in the shade next to the city hall front door, but his car wasn’t in the pack of dignitaries or in front of the man part of the parade, for some reason.

I did get a shot of a truck with the names of Crystal Lake City Councilmen Ralph Dawson and Jeff Thorsen on it. I’m pretty sure that is Mrs. Dawson waving at the camera.

I was out of position for the women on the council. I think I saw Cathy Ferguson and Ellen Brady Mueller. There may have been others, if so let me know and I’ll put you in the story.

Also in the middle of the parade was United States Congressman Don Manzullo.

And so was McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi and his wife.

McHenry County Auditor Pam Palmer was riding in what looked like a jeep waving.

In a really old green car, I also saw Mary Donner, McHenry County Board member. The car was so old it came complete with running boards. Donner is from Crystal Lake.

Tina Hill, another county board member, but from Woodstock, was riding in a convertible. I ran out of picture-taking capacity as I tried to take her photo and had to slip in another flash card, erase it and, amazingly enough managed to run up and catch her face at the intersection of Crystal Lake Avenue.

I saw Marie Chmiel, another Crystal Lake county board member walking on Dole before the parade. I’m not sure she was in it, though.

Those dignitary cars went fast.

CORRECTION: John Coonen writes,

“Cal, Both Representative Mike Tryon AND Senator Althoff walked in the parade. You may have missed them because they were shaking hands with people along the way.”

So my comments below were incorrect. Althoff and Tryon must have been working the sunny side of the street. I certainly did not see them when their vehicles went past.

Missing in action were State Senator Pam Althoff, who is up for re-election next year, and State Rep. Mike Tryon. State representatives, of course, are always up for re-election.

Both did have contingents carrying balloons and signs.

I can’t remember missing a 4th of July Parade in Crystal Lake unless the General Assembly were in session.

In years past, when Al Jourdan was McHenry County Republican Party Chairman, there was always an elephant in the parade.

Not this year.

I did manage to get a quick shot of Mayor Aaron Shepley as he ran past.

He had to run to keep up.

How different from the pace in 2000, when the dignitary portion of the parade was much slower than it was in 1999—my last parade as a public official—and this year.

All pictures can be enlarged by clicking on them.