Since Jackie and Mike Savage moved to Caledonia 31 years ago, the couple has always wanted to put on a parade to celebrate Independence Day.

Still, the couple didn’t quite know what to expect on Thursday, as they waited in the Caledonia Church of Christ parking lot for entries to line up for the town’s first Fourth of July parade.

And then, the tricycles, bicycles, four-wheelers, all-terrain vehicles, trucks and vintage cars started rolling in. The parade included about 40 entries in its first year, with all the vehicles decorated by their owners in red, white and blue.

“It’s the nation’s birthday. We’ve come out to celebrate July the 4th. There’s nothing more American – and Caledonian – than doing this,” Mike said.

The parade, which went down Main Street to Academy Street, was intended to celebrate the nation and its freedom, Jackie said. But it was also about friends and neighbors connecting.

“It’s a small town and people come together, and you don’t even really have to ask,” Jackie said.

The event – unlike the town’s Christmas parade that she also helps to organize – did not require any pre-registration and was almost entirely cost-free, she said.

While the town’s board approved the parade, Mike and Jackie spread the word of the parade using flyers, Facebook posts and word-of-mouth.

Caledonia citizens were also lined up on the sides of the road, coming to support the parade even if they were not a part of it.

While the parade was not a town or county organized event, a few government officials rode in the parade to show their support.

Caledonia Mayor Betty Darnell said anytime Jackie and Mike are organizing something, the community tends to show up. But the parade also gave citizens a chance to get together and to educate young children about the holiday, she said.

“We should celebrate it everyday,” Darnell said. “We should be praising our country and taking care of it, and these kids need to learn early what the Fourth of July means.”

Lowndes County District 1 Supervisor Matt Furnari was out on a flag-covered ATV during the parade. He said the parade provided just one more opportunity for residents to come together during the holiday.

“Caledonia’s always been a place that believes in what America stands for and its people,” Furnari said. “It’s just a great time to get together.”

The parade was led by the Caledonia Pack 9 Cub Scouts. Loraine Wallace, who walked with the group, said the parade provided the kindergarten through fifth graders with another way they could serve their community.

“I think that this is such an amazing opportunity to bring everybody together,” Wallace said. “It brings our citizens and residents together, and for the scouts particularly, it’s an opportunity to provide another level of servitude to the community.”

Local resident Kelsey Kendrick rode in the parade with her two children, Charlie, 7, and Remi, 6, just behind the Cub Scouts. Kelsey said she brought her children since her son loves riding his new four-wheeler, and since the parade gave them the opportunity to connect with others.

“It’s a wonderful day to get together, and this is our first year to do this in the town, so it’s really cool to see the town get together,” Kelsey said.

Behind the children, adults followed on four-wheelers, ATVs, trucks, a Jeep, a float designed to look like George Washington crossing the Delaware river, a fire truck and vintage cars.

One of the vintage cars that was in the parade was driven by David Smith, a local umpire and veteran. Smith said he served in the Army for 15 years, through Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Desert Heat and at the Panama Canal.

“Today means a lot,” Smith said. “One, it means a lot for the family to get together and the friends… just to celebrate our independence and to show our soldiers that we still care about them.”

Jackie said she was excited by the day’s turnout, and she hopes the parade will come back again next year, growing even larger, to celebrate the country’s independence.

“I’m just proud to be an American,” Jackie said.