Doo-Dah Parade stokes flames of freedom in Lewes
Freedom rang loud in Lewes on July 4th as the annual Doo-Dah Parade, with the barest of regulation, ended a day of independence celebration in the First Town in the First State. They came out with old cars and new cars, red, white and blue cars, super-hero-bedecked cars, and more red stripes and white stars than a presidential inauguration.
Benjamin Franklin and a revolutionary war soldier were there with the Declaration of Independence and at one point one of the largest Doo-Dah Parades in history stretched all the way from Lloyd's Market to the Zwaanendael Museum.
Phyllis Hoenen, grand marshal of the parade for more than 50 years, sat on a float and sang patriotic hymns, while children tossed and caught candy to the beat of snare drums and Johns Phillips Sousa music blaring from generator-fired speakers.
And they were all greeted by thousands of people lining Kings Highway, Second Street and Savannah Road dressed in patriotic colors and deep in the spirit of freedom and independence.
The parade started right about at 5 p.m. this year, earlier than in past years, but Lewes Police wanted to get the parade moving and the streets reopened to busy holiday traffic as soon as possible.
Mayor Jim Ford said he thought the parade went off well. "There were a few people mad because they were held up in traffic but they'll get over it. I particularly liked the guy standing up for the rights of carrots. Only in Lewes."
