Kazoos lead the way in Nazareth's Fourth of July parade

FROM THE EXPRESS TIMES

After taking a long, deep breath into a plastic kazoo, U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent took a second to admire the unique slice of Americana that is Nazareth's Fourth of July parade.

"Nazareth is America as it ought to be," said Dent, R-Lehigh Valley. "There aren't as many Fourth of July parades as there used to be and Nazareth has maintained the tradition and they always seem to go out of their way on the great national holidays. ... It's just wonderful to be a part of."

Dent was one of hundreds to participate in Nazareth's annual Independence Day kazoo parade, which was led this year by professional kazoo player and maker Abbe Graber, of Saugerties, N.Y. Graber, also known as "Miss G," was invited to the borough by the Nazareth Area Chamber of Commerce to serve as grand marshal of the parade.

Graber led the procession from the back of an orange Chevy Camaro convertible donated by Brown Daub Chevrolet in Wind Gap. Hundreds flocked behind Graber and hummed their kazoos to patriotic tunes such as, "Yankee Doodle" and "You're a Grand Old Flag." Kazoos were donated by Lafayette Ambassador Bank.

The parade began at Nazareth Area High School and traveled on South Liberty, Belvidere, Main and West Center streets before arriving at council chambers, where words were shared and Graber performed the national anthem.

Tom and Jess Shafnisky were on the front porch with their three kids to watch the parade go past their Belvidere Street home.

"I have to say, every year it gets bigger and bigger," said Jess Shafnisky. "This is definitely the biggest kazoo parade we've seen since we've lived here and it's fun. The kids love it. They got kazoos and candy and they're waving the flags. It's just a fun little tradition that we have in our town. That's what makes Nazareth so great."

Graber presented the Nazareth Area Chamber of Commerce with a handmade kazoo of hers as a token of her appreciation and said she had such a blast this year that she's hoping to be invited back next year.

"Being in Nazareth today for the kazoo parade was unbelievable," Graber said. "I got to lead a band of kazoo-playing, patriotic-song-playing people, and just seeing the joy that came from them just pumped my joy up 10 times more."

For Pennsylvania state Rep. Joe Emrick, this was his first kazoo parade but he says he'll be back for years to come.

"There aren't many Fourth of July events, and it was certainly an honor and a pleasure to have the chance to walk in my first kazoo parade, and not many people can say that," said Emrick, R-Northampton. "This event really does epitomize true Americana and what small-town America is really like."

http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/nazareth/index.ssf/2011/07/post_12.html