Two Days for Glorious 4th
Jun 21, 2023 12:00AM ● By Story and photo by Susan Maxwell Skinner
Grand Marshal for the 2023 Carmichael Elks July 4 parade, Izzy DeLancey (with bouquet) gets in patriotic spirit with her dad, 93-year-old Raymond Ybarra (seated right), five of her eight siblings and their spouses.
CARMICHAEL, CA (MPG) - Carmichael will this year parade its patriotism on July 1 and July 4.
Carmichael and Mission Oaks Park Districts will fanfare the nation’s 250th birthday on July 1 (Saturday) with a $20,000-plus fireworks show at La Sierra Community Center. A concert by rock band Fast Times will herald the “Red, White and Blue” celebration. Music starts at 6:30 pm.
Ten food trucks and a beer garden will offer sustenance; a free kids zone will feature inflatables and face-painting. Fireworks and the 1812 Overture will thunder at 9:30 pm. Organizers recommend dogs should stay home. No private fireworks are permitted.
On Tuesday, July 4, Carmichael’s famous parade will cover two miles of hot tar between Marconi and Cypress Avenues. The Carmichael Elks Lodge has orchestrated this tradition since 1959.
Carmichael Chamber of Commerce President Izzy Delancey will be Grand Marshal. According to Elks member Jim Warrick, the VIP personifies a 2023 “Community Spirit in America” theme. “Izzy’s been working for Carmichael since she was a little girl,” Warrick explains. “She’s been Honorary Mayor; she sits on the Carmichael Improvement District Board. It’s wonderful what this lady has done for her community.”
The 1974 La Sierra High homecoming Queen has loved her hometown’s pageant since childhood. “I remember waving to important people in the parade and never dreaming I’d be part of it,” says DeLancey. “It’s an honor to represent Carmichael in this way.” Transported by a red ’66 Mustang, the Grand Marshal will roll at 10:30 am. A Sons of the American Revolution color guard marches in advance; up to 100 more units – Go-Karts, Boy Scouts, belly dancers, classic cars, floats, bicycles, Keystone Kops, politicians and clowns – will follow the siren whoop of fire trucks.
Bringing up the rear, Del Campo High School student body fields a mighty vanguard of athletes and flag-bearers.
Fair Oaks Boulevard closes from 10 am till noon for the cavalcade. Thousands of spectators applaud from sidewalks (the biggest crowds accumulate in shade near Carmichael Park corner) and street medians. At the park clubhouse, Carmichael Kiwanis fortify celebrations with a $5 pancake breakfast.
In this celebration, all roads lead to Carmichael Elks Lodge. Here dancing, barbecue lunches and swimming are offered. The Lodge is located at 5631 Cypress Avenue. La Sierra Center is at 5325 Engle Road. Carmichael Park Clubhouse is at 5750 Grant Avenue.
Parade supporters include: Kovar’s Karate, El Rancho School, Carmichael Kiwanis, the Carmichael Times, the American Legion and VFW, Carmichael Chamber of Commerce, Blain Stumpf Fencing, Carmichael Improvement District and Carmichael Elks. Fireworks sponsors include Mission Oaks and Carmichael Park Districts, GCC Virtual Academy, Food in the Hood, Carmichael Parks Foundation, Buck Family Automotive and K-ZAP.org
