Childhood Memories of the Fourth of July

As the Fourth of July looms on the horizon I often reminisce with family and friends of the old day's (for me it was the 1950's)
The big attraction was going to a neighboring town to see the parade. I remember the color guard as we all stood and saluted the flag, VFW, all branches of the service, socres of floats, businesses, and service clubs, all had a float. I never did figure out why they called them floats since they were driven or pulled along the street not on the water. My dad told me not to worry about it they were floats. My favorite entries were the antique tractors and horses. When the tractors went by I would always count the orange ones they were my favorite, since that is what the man who farmed the land on the farm where we lived used. My dad bought a Farmall to remove snow, chicken litter and drag up logs for firewood, but somehow it just didn't have the same appeal. Maybe because it was old and needed to be painted. In a Childs mind shiny paint was important. When I got older some family friend's let my brother and me ride their horses in the parade, boy did we feel privileged.
We always went home and made fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy, and sweet corn. (See Cast Iron Memories for my recipe)
Later in the evening we would go to the drive-inn theatre. We made popcorn and placed it in a brown paper grocery bag and filled fruit jars with kool-aid. No one really minded that it was hot and we were all, four kids and mom and dad, shoved into a car with no air conditioning for several hours. Often we would fall asleep before the fire works began after the movie but mom and dad would always wake us before hand so no one missed them. What a tribute to our freedom.
I would like to invite you to share your Fourth of July memories with us. Let's forget the politics and remember what America stands for.