Big crowds march to parade

Hundreds of thousands of people thronged city streets Friday to witness Huntington Beach’s 104th Annual Fourth of July Parade. The largest such parade west of the Mississippi, it drew close to a million visitors over three days of activities.

The parade featured sky divers, grand marshals like mixed martial arts star Tito Ortiz and oldest living former City Council member Noble Waite, and countless floats, marchers, and other guests. Festivities also included pancake breakfasts, a beach fireworks show on the night of the Fourth, and festivities at Pier Plaza all weekend. Despite high gas prices and other economic woes, the festival appeared as packed as ever — maybe even more, Councilman Keith Bohr said.

“It seem to be a larger attendance this year, maybe because people are traveling a little closer to home,” he said. “It was just great, especially on a three-day weekend.”

— Michael Alexander