Canonsburg rolls out the red, white and blue
Celeste Van Kirk
Canonsburg mayor Dave Rhome presents a plaque to Laverne Colaizzo, center, and her daughter Mary Dombrowski, right, during Canonsburg’s Fourth of July Parade.
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
Members of the Amani Children’s choir from Kampala wave flags during the Canonsburg’s annual Fourth of July Parada.
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
Music fills the air during Canonsburg’s Fourth of July Parade.
Celeste Van Kirk/For theObserver-Reporter
In this file photo from 2019, Zaleigia Steadman of Washington waves a flag as she watches Canonsburg’s annual Fourth of July Parade.
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
Protest organizer Trey Willis of Washington leads a group as they march in Canonsburg’s annual Fourth of July Parade.
Celeste Van Kirk/For the Observer-Reporter
Music filled the air last year during Canonsburg’s Fourth of July Parade.
Celeste Van Kirk/For the Observer-Reporter
Xavier Edwards, left, and Addison Hall of Canonsburg wave at parade participants during last year’s Fourth of July Parade in Canonsburg.
Celeste Van Kirk/For the Observer-Reporter
Members of the Steubenville Shrine Club make their way along Pike Street during Canonsburg’s annual Fourth of July Parade last year.
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
Protesters march in Canonsburg’s annual Fourth of July Parade.
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
Protesters march in Canonsburg’s annual Fourth of July Parade.
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
Music fills the air during Canonsburg’s Fourth of July Parade.
CANONSBURG – Canonsburg was draped in red, white and blue Thursday for its mammoth Fourth of July parade, which was dedicated this year to the man who helped start this patriotic party.
Many people in the sprawling parade route also wore Panama hats and bow ties, the signature apparel of parade founder Anthony L. Colaizzo, a businessman and politician who died a year ago.
“There are no words. My dad would be so proud to see this tribute,” said Colaizzo’s daughter, Mary Dombrowski.
“He loved this town,” she said after Canonsburg Mayor David Rhome presented her mother, LaVerne, with a proclamation and locally-made Sarris Candies.
Many people said attendance was lighter this year after a protest group planned to show up and possibly disrupt the parade over its belief that some people are treated unfairly in Washington County’s criminal courts.
The borough allowed the group to join the parade route, which it did with more than 50 people who received loud applause as they passed Rusty Gold Brewing at 43 W. Pike St.
Trey Willis of Washington, an organizer of the protest group, said its request to join the parade “was met with extreme hospitality.”
He said the people at the parade did not “fall victim to the fear tactics that were put forth” on Facebook and in the media.
The parade began with a black Canonsburg police cruiser and two officers on motorcycles.
“Let’s welcome the Canonsburg police department. Let’s hear it,” said local singer Bobby Shawn, who served as master of ceremonies.
The parade, which stretched on for hours in sweltering temperatures, also attracted Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, who took home Sarris, too, in a gift presented by Rhome.
“We bring sweetness to you,” Rhome said.
Colaizzo felt bad while walking around the town in 1962 and realizing there wasn’t much going on for the Fourth of July, Dombrowski said.
He brought together a committee to organize a parade the follow year without raising enough money to pay for the evening’s fireworks, she said.
They passed around a bucket that Fourth of July to raise the money for the fireworks, a tradition that lives on, Dombrowski said.