Mendocino 4th of July parade packs town

MENDOCINO, 7/4/24 — One person was arrested and one man was injured during a packed Mendocino 4th of July parade. Crowds stayed all day for music, vendors in Rotary Park and for the Flynn Creek Circus, which performed right after the parade ended, about three blocks from the parade route. There is no official estimate for parade attendees, but every street was full, cars were parked out along State Route 1, and it would be hard to imagine how any more people could fit into the town.

Mendocino artist Larry Fuente made a posthumous appearance at the parade he graced so many times, with his ashes riding with family and friends in “Mad Cad,” his 1960 art Cadillac. Fuentes died late last month. Mad Cad and the late Fuente won the prize as the most popular entry.

The parade was not as wacky as past parades, but it contained political floats from across the spectrum. The first was a vehicle boosting the election of Donald Trump as president. There were boos but also cheers for Trump and his supporters along the route in a town considered deeply blue. There were no Biden floats or signs, but one man with a walker marched down the route with a “Gavin Newsom for President” sign. By far the biggest support for any candidate was an ornate float for Robert Kennedy Jr., which had two dozen people performing elaborate dances. Kennedy’s float was the only candidate float last year, and this float was even bigger. The biggest political marching group was a large “Free Palestine” contingent, with more than 50 marchers.

Tom Yates and Vicky Watts, who own radio station KOZT, served as MCs. The two have been announcing and float judging for more than two decades. “We are all about community and want to do this,” said Yates. He said he enjoys how people from different perspectives and viewpoints can still have fun together. Yates likes how “deadly serious” parade participants can mix with off-the -wall participants, rebels and a few with as much “FU as you could ever want.”

Yates remembered the rebel spirit that Larry Fuente brought, citing his antiwar floats for two different presidents festooned with “Lick Bush” signs. Once, a nude woman climbed up on the float, stirring quite a brouhaha. “This parade is an entity all to itself. You just can’t predict it,” Yates said.

Some were disappointed that their favorite floats didn’t take to the streets, such as the mama bear and her string of teddy bears on bikes. 

A 52-year-old Fort Bragg man was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct while under the influence of alcohol, according to the Mendocino County Jail booking log. The arrest came after a public fracas with sheriff’s deputies. No further information was immediately available.

A man who was trying to approach a friend riding in the vehicle pulling Mad Cad stepped into the moving trailer and fell to the ground, suffering head and shoulder injuries. A doctor from Adventist Health Mendocino Coast and two nurses, as well as paramedics, were on scene immediately. The float stopped and then was asked to move on while the man was treated. No further information was available.

The temperatures topped out at 72 degrees at the parade in Mendocino, with the mercury approaching 80 on Wednesday and triple digits inland.