3rd of July, Northside Cincinnati, Ohio
Awww, the annual 4th of July Parade in our old neighborhood, the Northside area of Cincinnati. Surrounded by Interstate highways on the west, south and east and a ridge to the north, Northside has always been the residency of first time home buyers, urban dwellers, transitional folks, freaks, Appalachian transplants, African-Americans and hipsters. When we moved on a nice leafy block with 19th century Victorians in 1985, it was mostly Appalachian refugees, gay and yuppie couples, urban workers and leftwing culture warriors. Slowly the bars moved from specializing in liver ailments and urban rednecks to lesbians and rockers and microbrews and the shops turned over from used appliances and churches to records, whole foods and high priced garage sale pickings. We moved on for various reasons about 10 years ago, but we try to go every year - a chance to catch up with old neighbors, see fellow travelers and run into local musos. Including my BFF Butter Jesus.
Heh, Jesus lost to Thor.
The parade ends and people fall in behind the Northside Danceteria float and make their way to Hofner Square for an afternoon and evening of rock and roll, drum core and marching band showdowns, booths of fortune tellers, politico’s and food venders, and generally melting in the July sun.
Cincinnati doesn’t suck.