The Takoma Park Independence Day Committee announced that this year’s celebration will be a different sort of parade—a parade of local homes and businesses.
The traditional parade has been cancelled again this year due to COVID-19 and in its place, the committee is asking homeowners and businesses to turn their properties into “floats” to show their Takoma Park Independence Day spirit.
“As with traditional parade floats, a great design can be just the beginning. People might include music, like a porch concert, or include games, or anything else they can think of to engage and delight their neighbors,” the announcement reads.
Participating homes and businesses can register on the committee’s site and be included in a map on the site that will guide local visitors to the decorated spots, which will compete for prizes.
Prizes will be awarded to:
- Most Creative
- Most Engaging
- Most Patriotic
- Best Capturing the Spirit of Takoma Park
- Best Overall
- Best Decorated Business, and
- Best Decorated Street.
Locations outside of Takoma Park can register to appear on the map, but only entries within the city’s boundaries will be considered for prizes.
Registration will close on July 1 and the committee asks that all decorations be in place by then to be viewed over the holiday weekend.
In addition to the decoration contest, there will be live music at the Gazebo from noon to 4:30 p.m. The featured artists will be:
- Proverbs Reggae, noon
- ILIAMY, 1 p.m.
- The Nighthawks, 2 p.m., and
- Drumspiration, 3:30 p.m.
The annual fireworks show is also cancelled again this year.
Screenshot from TPIDC website