I love a parade.

This year, the Knitternall family enjoyed Dunwoody's 4th of July parade from quite a different perspective. While we've marched alongside Troop 764, St. Luke's Presbyterian Church, swim team, and Dunwoody Nature Center entries in the past, this year, we did this:

We're having a blast supporting Terry in his bid for City Council. And discovering even more reasons to love Dunwoody.

For example:

• Kids say "thank you" when you give them candy. (Even the loudly assertive "We want candy!" contingent said "thanks.")
• In one morning, we got to say hello to more friends and neighbors than we normally see in a week.
• Dunwoody Police Officers on Segways - fun!
• Boy Scouts serving barbecue - the logistics are impressive and food quite good.
• Even as they melted into a sweaty puddle of overheated, flushed red exhaustion, parade participants and watchers wished each other a "Happy 4th!"
• The Dunwoody Homeowners Association and their volunteers ... just wow. Until you've been IN the parade, you can't fully appreciate all the work that goes into staging the state's largest 4th of July event.
• I bet the MJCC's Clifford the Big Red Dog bus could do a brisk business just giving rides to small ones. Loved the balloon ears.
• Hint to Italian food aficionados - Dunwoody's Carrabba's Italian Grill is not only a great place to eat, but the manager is a really nice guy and the restaurant is very generous in supporting the community.
• Master Gardeners ... the secret behind Dunwoody Nature Center's native plantings.  Their parade entry was accompanied by Junior Counselors, a cadre of volunteer teens who support the environmental education center's summer camp.
• Dunwoody High School ... band, football players, cheerleaders, lacrosse team, principal - our home town school does us proud every year.
• Peachtree race runners, who arrive to cheer on the parade after their early morning exertions (and celebrations).
• Unabashed patriotism, from Army and Marine bands to small children in special July 4th ensembles. Gotta love it.
• Instant gratification - getting to see all the parade entries we missed thanks to Dunwoody Patch.

We look forward to next year's parade. Rain or shine, it's the anchor of our family's July 4th celebrations.