We enjoyed a fun parade for the July 4th Independence Day. It was all about showing off the local schools, teams, communities as well as many others, and having fun. I can see every organization spare no efforts decorating their cars, making costumes to get attention from the audience. And the shiny sunny day just added extra happiness to the fun. My friend said that this was very "American".
Yes, I did feel that -- not sure about other countries, in China, we definitely have some celebrations for our national day, but I personally have never been in a parade like this. On important anniversaries of the the nation's founding day (e.g. 50 year anniversary), we would have a very formal parade in Beijing, passing the Tiananmen Square, mainly showing off the military power. It's streamed on TV, so it's easy to catch up if you are not at the scene. It does make me feel proud about my country, but at the same time, I wish there could be some more casual celebrations like the fun parade we enjoyed today.
