By: Donovan W. Mann – donovanm@977thebolt.com
Humboldt, IA – A 4th of July Parade is approved for the City of Humboldt including a route and street closures.
The Humboldt City Council signs off on the 2020 4th of July Parade. According to member of the planning committee, Brandy Satern, the route has been approved during the regular scheduled meeting of the council. The approval also includes street closures for the duration of the parade.
The route this year is different than the previous years due to downtown construction and social distancing concerns. The parade will line up around Taft Elementary School and Taft Park and go from 2nd Avenue North and Taft Street. It will then head south to 11th Avenue South. From there it will turn east for two blocks and turn back on 5th Street to head north. The parade will official end along Sumner Avenue near Humboldt City Hall.
Satern does share there were other routes being considered. The route chosen for the parade does not close off certain roads that have to remain open for emergency and first responders. This route also avoids downtown construction and provides plenty of space for social distancing.
See: City approves fireworks display for Independence Day
It was previously announced that the parade was cancelled by the Humboldt County Development Association who took over the hosting the parade after the Chamber of Commerce was dissolved. Director of the HCDA, Alissa O’Connor, cited social distancing concerns along the route for the reason behind not wanting to host the parade this year. In a separate interview City Administrator Travis Goedken echoed these words and said the city wasn’t saying a parade couldn’t happen, they would just not be hosting it this year. The city will host a fireworks display to be set off at the Humboldt County Fairgrounds
See: Community members are planning a 4th of July parade
It was announced not long after that a group of eight Humboldt community members were forming a committee to plan a parade. The committee worked to finalize the route and details to present to the Humboldt City Council for approval. They created an email address and Facebook event to start getting the word out and receiving parade entries.
The route and parade was approved by city council on Monday, June 15 where Satern and five other of the committee member were present. For those wishing to be an entry in the parade contact the committee at humboldtiowaparade@gmail.com or call/text Satern at 515-890-1441 or Cody Lawman at 515-351-1559.