<\/a>Ernestine Saankaláxt Hayes, center in red shirt, tosses candy to people from her float celebrating the “Voice of Alaska” theme for this year’s Fourth of July parade through downtown Juneau on Tuesday. Hayes, a Tlingit artist and writer with more than seven generations of family in Juneau, was one of four grand marshals in the parade. (Mark Sabbatini \/ Juneau Empire)<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
“We wanted something large enough so that many of the ‘Voices of Alaska’ could be heard, especially those that are not heard,” she said before the parade, explaining her choice of vehicle and theme for Independence Day. “It’s a perfect time because not only our community, but the whole nation is ready for every voice to be heard. This is a 21st century Fourth of July.”<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
The parade also featured plenty of decades-old traditions as it took almost exactly an hour to proceed past people lining the streets who watched it while standing, sitting in portable chairs, and scrambling for the frequently tossed candy and other goodies.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
Music from marching bands and Alaska Native drummers rang out, military veterans and people currently serving in various uniforms were prominent front and center, businesses and nonprofits sought to present their most creative and patriotic profiles, and youths showed up in groups ranging from cheerleading squads to a swim club dangling their feet in a flatbed wading pool.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
<\/a>Pete Carran, a grand marshal Juneau’s Fourth of July parade, wears the hat he received from Capital City Fire\/Rescue when he was named an honorary firefighter in 2014 as he rides in an antique fire truck during the parade. (Mark Sabbatini \/ Juneau Empire)<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
Occupying an antique fire truck that was among the parade’s lead vehicles was Pete Carran, another grand marshal who covered countless Juneau July 4 parades as a local TV and radio broadcaster for decades. He said the original plan was to ride in a friend’s Corvette until the manufacturer said the slow start-and-stop parade pace would void the vehicle’s warranty – but that literally gave him a chance to wear a different and rather distinctive hat he was presented with from Capital City Fire\/Rescue.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
“In 2014 when I tried to retire they made me an honorary firefighter,” the longtime broadcaster said.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t