City of Whiting Hosts Fantastic 4th of July Parade

Beautiful weather made for some great attendance, as thousands lined up and down the streets of Whiting for this year’s Fourth of July Parade.

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Police cars, community leaders, the Jessie White Tumblers, and even Mr. Pierogi himself made their way up 116th to the Lakefront in colorful and creative floats as the crowd roared in applause on a bright and sunny Saturday.

Whiting is a unique town in Northwest Indiana and its parade is no different. The parade features tributes to those serving the community and the country but also some fun “out-of-town” visitors for the kids.

This year it was the crazy characters from Looney Tunes.

“My favorite part about parade is watching the family’s faces as the characters go by,” said Whiting Director of Events, Mark Harbin. “Seeing their faces really excites us.”

There was even a cameo from America’s favorite detective dog, Scooby Doo, and his vehicle of choice, the Mystery Machine.

For Whiting, the special surprises are something the city likes to do for the community.

“I think people look forward to seeing what’s different each year,” Harbin added. “We’re always looking to add new, family-friendly events to the parade.”

And it’s this commitment from Whiting to constantly grow the parade while sticking with the time-honored traditions that keep guests coming back each year.

“I go every year with my family,” said Austin Praski. “It’s a tradition, my mom’s side of the family always goes down to Whiting for the parade. I really loved the Jessie White Tumblers this year.”

So as the book closes on another great parade in Downtown Whiting, what does the future hold for next year’s parade? Harbin promises it will be another great surprise!

“We’re trying to really change it up the next few years,” Harbin concluded. “We hope people will come back next year to see what’s next!”