Catonsville 4th

We have lived in Catonsville for eleven July 4ths.  We have been to ONE Catonsville 4th parade.  Catonsville residents would be ashamed of us.  The 4th of July is  BIG DEAL in Catonsville; it is an all day event starting with a run, kids activities, parade, then ending with fireworks.  This town goes all out for the 4th and it is know throughout the area that C-ville is the place to be.  

As transplants, we didn't understand all the fanfare with the 4th.  The 4th of July is always ridiculously hot and going to a parade at 3 PM in that heat didn't appeal to us.  We have never gotten invited to any of the house parties going on around Catonsville.  By the emptiness of our parking lot at the town house, we were clearly one of the few residents NOT at some kind of party.  So we begged my parents to rent the beach house over the 4th so we could just avoid the whole Catonsville thing we didn't feel part of.

But alas, here we are in 2016, and it's time to embrace our Catonsville residence, especially now that we are IN Catonsville.  The parade route is a block and a half away and our new neighbors are not from the area either; it's time to start our own party and traditions.

This 4th was rainy and chilly, so our grand plans of a fun outdoor party got dampened.  We know what we need for next year to improve the party, a pop-up tent!  After a yummy lunch, we all walked up to street to the parade where a neighbor put out chairs for us.  (Chairs go up weeks before the parade to reserve spots.  It's a Catonsville thing- no one touches them or moves them.  It's just what everyone does)

Shout out to Jess for reserving us spots

The parade is HUGE.  The kids really enjoyed the marching bands and all the groups that passed out candy.  The Orioles Bird made an appearance too; Braylen was thrilled

 

My favorite float 

Our gathering was small, but some of my favorite Catonsville people were with us.

The lady that made me want to stay in Catonsville

BFFs

This guy is a winner too

We lasted about 1.5 hours at the parade (yes, it went another hour I think) with our soggy bottoms.  The parade was entertaining, especially the "secondary parade" of random people walking down the street with inappropriate attire (crop tops, boobs hanging out...) and beers in hand.  It felt like the Ocean City Maryland boardwalk at night.  I could take a little less of that and more organized floats.  But what does this transplant know about the Catonsville parade...

Anyway, we did the parade and party, no fireworks this year.  We'll ease our way into the C-ville 4th; we've got a lifetime in this house to figure it out :)