independence day in takoma park

They've mourned the end of Takoma Park as a counterculture wonderland for decades, but it finally came last Sunday when the city put on a display of unabashed patriotism for the Fourth of July.

Well, at least, they tried.

But seriously, nothing felt more American than watching (and participating) in a parade through the leafy streets of the so-called People's Republic, cheered on by flag-waving well-wishers packed in sidewalks and porches.



It was certainly a surprise to show up to one of my last gigs for Team Leventhal (I'll say for one last time that the opinions expressed here are mine alone) and find nearly two dozen people ready to march.

If you haven't seen me in the Kensington, Gaithersburg, Burtonsville, Silver Spring, Kentlands, Rockville, Takoma Park or Leisure World parades in the past year, I've been driving George's car in them.

In each parade, either George or a couple of kids ride on top of the car. There's really no better motivation to drive carefully than knowing your boss - or worse, your brother - could fall off.

These kids probably wish they got to ride on a car. On the other hand, they look like they just wanted to go home.

Of course, this is Takoma Park, so in addition to the aforementioned "truthers," there will have to be people on bikes as well.

There a fair number of Caribbean 'Parkies as well, so there is the requisite steel pan band as well - in case you missed the D.C. Caribbean Carnival last week.

It's hard not to love Takoma Park. The politics can certainly be intense (they certainly have a reputation to uphold!) but there aren't a lot of neighborhoods in East County or the region as a whole that are as diverse, as tight-knit or as beautiful as this one.

Check out this photoset.