On a windy Saturday morning, the streets of Old Columbia Pike was full of people who came to watch the 19th Annual Burtonsville Day Parade.
Leading off the parade were the Knights of Columbus, then followed Police Ranger, and then Lisa Baden a radio show personality for WTOP. Also in the parade were our very own Paint Branch cheerleaders, marching Band, and NJROTC. Some people in the parade were first timers like Brad Bate who was in the “Trout Run Carriage,” a group of people representing the local Dutch Markets formerly in Burtonsville.
Firs- timers float and parade participants weren’t the only ones enjoying their first Burtonsville Day. Tope, a 9th grade Paint Branch student attending his first Burtonsville Day said, “It’s a safe, inviting environment for everyone.” After the parade, Burtonsville Day festivities kicked off with a performance by the “Gonzo Cowboys”, a country- rock band. Later on in the Day the Blake Jazz Band and Elite Dance Studio preformed.
During the day, the sky was getting darker, and every sign pointed toward rain, but that didn’t stop the events that followed, like the annual car show and pet show. There were also many games to play too, like tug -of -war and sack racing. Bola Adebensin a 10th grade Paint Branch student who lives in Burtonsville and has been to the event many times, says, “I like watching the parade go by, it’s exciting seeing all the diverse groups.”
But all the fun of Burtonsville Day wasn’t only outside. In the recreation center, people were playing basketball and arts and crafts. The longest lines of the day were hands down, for the food vendors. Those burgers and French fries were probably one of the highlights of the day. The food providers for Burtonsville Day were The Lions Club and the Knights of Columbus, which have both been serving at Burtonsville Day for nineteen years.
If the free books didn’t grab your attention then the book signing with Valerie Tripp the author of the American Girl series must have. This event took place in front of the library.
Sara L., Karen Y, and Kimberly V. are all attend Blake High School and have lived in Burtonsville for a many years, so Burtonsville Day was definitely not something new to them. They stated, “Our favorite part is the parade; it feels like everyone is a community.”
Unfortunately, toward the early afternoon a few showers put a damper on some of the outdoor events, like the celebrity basketball game, but overall everyone seemed pleased of by Burtonsville Day and look forward to a sunnier Burtonsville Day next year.