Families flock to Ocean Park for 4th of July celebration and parade

July 4 – OCEAN PARK – Lisa Klein put the finishing touches on her U-Haul truck minutes before the Fourth of July parade kicked off here Thursday morning.

She hung blue ribbons on the dashboard and taped an American flag to the passenger side. “We’re just trying to cover up the U-Haul as much as possible with our American paraphernalia to commemorate the Four,” Klein said with a laugh.

His family has been participating in the Fourth of July celebration in this coastal village for 17 years. They always participate in the parade and often drive their own trucks.

But they were faced with a dilemma this year after selling one of their trucks and having the other end up in a repair shop. Thus, U-Hauls.

Susan McCann, Klein’s mother, said missing the parade was not an option. “Around Christmas, all of our kids think this is the second best holiday in our family,” McCann, 72, said. “We always get together and the kids have a lot of fun.”

The family was among hundreds of people who gathered at Ocean Park for a Fourth of July celebration on Thursday. Lawn chairs lined Temple Avenue, people waved American flags and candy was thrown into the crowd as the parade began.

Cristina Poppe and her daughter, Payton Lak, drove a white convertible decorated with red, white and blue ribbons. Poppe, 36, said her family comes to Ocean Park every year for the Fourth and tries to be in the parade. They stay in a house that has been in the family for years.

“The whole family comes,” said Poppe, of Franklin, Wisconsin. “It’s pretty much my favorite. I haven’t lost one yet.”

Parker Koket, 6, said he placed third in the decorated bicycle contest held before the parade. He walked in circles, waiting for the parade to pass so he could participate. Koket’s bike included a toy pitcher of Kool-Aid and an inflatable lobster, inspired by the foods he planned to eat on the holiday.

“I’ve been coming here since I was a baby, so it’s a good tradition for me,” said Nancy Koket, Parker’s grandmother, who summers in Ocean Park and lives in the Dallas area. “And it’s cool here. It’s hot in Texas.”

Erica Orthmann and her sons, Arlo and Elliott, also decorated their bikes and participated in the parade. Orthmann, 42, said he was happy for the good weather after last year’s holiday rain. “We are excited about the Fourth of July. It’s like Maine Christmas,” Orthmann said.

“I love everything about it. The fireworks on the beach, the community,” she said. “We loved staying here.”

Steve O’Loughlin sat in the driveway of his sister-in-law’s house along the parade route, drinking a cup of coffee while the rest of the family enjoyed the parade from the shade of the porch.

O’Loughlin, of Saco, said the family has two homes in Ocean Park for the holiday and plans to have a barbecue later Thursday.

“It’s fun for him because he doesn’t experience it in Chicago,” said O’Loughlin, 74, referring to his 7-year-old grandson watching nearby. “And he loves fireworks. If you sit on the beach, you can see fireworks from 10 cities.”

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