One of the city’s most eclectic and colorful Fourth of July parades (since 1854), the Northside parade celebrates independence with sparkling floats, neon Acid-dream processions (mostly from vintage store Chicken Lays an Egg), tons of classic cars, lots of dance troupes and drum lines, plenty of hand-shaking and candy-throwing politicians, many creative red-white-and-blue outfits and a lot of day-drinking locals. People start lining Hamilton Avenue with lawn chairs Friday night, and streets close before the noon kick-off, so get there early if you want in on the action. The party continues at Hoffner Park at the Northside Rock n’ Roll Carnival, or at any variety of Northside bars, which open early for the festivities.
Noon Saturday. Free. Hamilton Avenue, Northside, northsidejuly4.com.
