The coolest place to be Thursday morning — for a minute or so anyway — will be a wet soaking courtesy the Manteca Fire Department.
The fire department reserve firefighters will again be bringing up the rear of the Fourth of July parade pulling an old-fashioned hose cart.
They will be running — and pulling — the hose cart between fire hydrants.
Once at a hydrant, two reserve firefighters will couple the hose and turn on the hydrant while others prepare to point it skyward in the middle of Main Street and then Center Street.
While they are doing that kids — and the young at heart – head onto the hot payment to enjoy Manteca’s coolest Fourth of July tradition — taking a “shower” courtesy the Manteca Fire Department.
“It’s the best part of the parade,” noted Manteca Fire Chief Dave Marques who started the tradition roughly 15 years ago when he was the training officer for the reserve firefighters.
Given the high Thursday is expected to reach 108 degrees, there likely won’t be too many kids this year that will disagree with the fire chief.
“(It’s) fun but it is also very physically demanding running the whole parade while pulling the cart,” Marques said.
The parade starts at 10 a.m. It will go down Main Street from Golden West School. It then turns right to head west to Library Park where it will disperse.
This year’s parade theme is “Honoring Our Vietnam Veterans.”
Vietnam veterans Specialist Halsey (Hal) Corbett and Sgt. Art Smith will serve as co-grand marshals for Manteca’s Fourth of July parade.
Corbett served as a US Army combat medic.
While tending to wounded soldiers, he was exposed to intense hostile fire. He has been awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star with combat "V" and the Purple Heart.
Corbett currently serves as Post Surgeon at Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6311.
Smith served in Vietnam 1970-1971 as a K9 handler with the 981st KP Corp, 18th MP Brigade under the Military Advisory Command Vietnam.
The dogs and their handlers were credited with saving more than 10,000 U.S. lives and preventing certain injury for countless more during the Vietnam War.
The parade is being staged by the Sunrise Kiwanis.
Pancake breakfast
The Manteca Rotary’s pancake breakfast takes place this year at the Boys & Girls Club on West Alameda Street, three blocks west of the parade route.
Breakfast is being served from 7 to 10 a.m. on Thursday, July 4.
The cost is $10.
Aerial fireworks
The City of Manteca’s aerial fireworks start on Thursday, July 4, at 9:30 p.m.
The aerial display will be over the Big League Dreams sports complex northwest of Daniels Street and Airport Way.
Admission is $2 for attendees over the age of 12. Those under 12 are free. Gates open at 7 p.m.
You can also watch the fireworks for free from several nearby venues.
The suggested locations are Bella Vista Park,1580 Bella Terra Drive; Dutra Estates Park 2701, Ancestry St.; Dutra Estates Mini Park 1523, Hearthstrong Drive; Dutra Southeast Park,1850 Sparrowhawk St.; Kevin O'Neill Park 1282 Lauren Park Circle; and Roberts Estates Park, 1740 Rail St.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
