CURTIS -- Hot dogs, chicken, popcorn, and cotton candy. It smells like the Fourth of July festivities are underway at the 39th annual Fourth of July Parade in Curtis.
People from all over the Upper Peninsula came out to see it. Even people from out of state like Jeremy Wagner, from Ohio.
"It's nice to come to something like this and have a little festival. Where we are from, we don't really have anything going on like this, so it's very nice to come up and vacation. It's awesome to see the sites, mingle with the people and have a blast," said Wagner.
Year after year the parade keeps growing. This time around more than 10,000 visitors crowded the streets.
The bagpipers keep coming back, there were five live bands, people throwing candy, and antique cars driving around. The parade took about an hour to march through. Captain Bill Kelly, Parade Organizer, says he saw many more kids this year.
"People were sitting back in the shade, but the kids were out in the front throwing their flags around, and that's good. They all seem to enjoy it, that's the main thing. It brings a lot of people to the town and it helps the economy," said Kelly.
After the parade, people stuck around to see the bands play. The Petoskey Steel Drum Band seemed to be a favorite for the crowd. Barry Bennette, the Director, says it's their fifth year performing in the parade.
"We saw the people in the community, we're very impressed and it was great. The people are awesome here so we just keep coming back whenever they want us because it's just a great time," said Bennette.
The festivities continued into the evening with their famous fireworks display.
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