By Tom Tolen / news@whmi.com


If there is no 4th of July parade to go to today due to the coronavirus pandemic, there’s always the virtual one that you can watch on the Internet.

According to Whitmore Lake Kiwanis Club President Jacki Otto, after sponsoring an Independence Day parade for 26 years, they weren’t about to skip it completely this year just because of a measly pandemic. As a result, she and others organized a virtual 4th of July parade instead. The advantage of this is that people don’t have to deal with wearing a mask or observing social distancing. The virtual parade, as with the actual parades in prior years, was sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Whitmore Lake. Otto, who is also a Northfield Twp. trustee, tells WHMI that even though the inescapable decision was made to cancel the 4th of July parade, Kiwanis members felt that the community needed something to celebrate – even if it was in their own homes and not outdoors.

The majority of the video is of the Whitmore Lake High School commencement ceremonies which took place on June 26th. There are also a bagpiper, patriotic songs and other aspects to the 11-minute video. Otto says she has received many positive comments is hopeful that the actual 4th of July parade, and not a virtual one, can resume next year.

You can access the virtual parade by going to the Northfield Township website at twp – northfield.org and clicking on “Recent Twp News” on the left side of the screen.