The Fourth of July celebrates a piece of U.S. history — America’s birthday — and other counties are invited to the birthday party.
Dressed in their red jackets, jodhpurs and brown wide-brimmed hats, members of Canada’s Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) will march in Juneau’s Independence Day parades.
“These guys are very good marchers and they know what they’re doing,” Sue Baxter, co-chair of the Juneau Sister Cities Committee, said, although noting they won’t have their mounts because the organization doesn’t travel with their horses. “Their uniforms are resplendent; they’re beautiful.”
This is the third year that the RCMP has marched in the Juneau Fourth of July Parade in lock-step behind Juneau’s Sister Cities’ banner. Baxter said the Sister Cities Committee helps foster relations between Whitehorse and Juneau, and that RCMP marching is a special thing people are usually excited to see.
Whitehorse Mayor Dan Curtis is also expected to participate in the parade.
The tradition of Canadian representatives in Juneau for Independence Day was a regular occurrence before the 2008 avalanche in Juneau, then it fell off for a while, Baxter said. The tradition is running strong again, and this year, a new tradition involves the Juneau Police Department.
JPD Chief of Police Bryce Johnson spent his Friday morning in Whitehorse to help celebrate Canada Day. It’s the first time a member of JPD has participated in our neighboring country’s national holiday, as far Baxter can recall.
“There’s a long tradition of the people of the Yukon and the people of Southeast Alaska connecting, going back to gold rush,” Baxter said.
This year’s invitation for the RCMP to visit Alaska came from Mayor Ken Koelsch and was supported by members of the parade committee, Baxter said.
Juneau is also sister cities with Kalibo, Philippines; Vladivostok, Russia; Mishan City, China; and Chia Yi City, Taiwan.
Juneau’s Fourth of July parade begins at 11 a.m. Monday. The Douglas parade begins at 2 p.m.
For information about parade routes, visit www.juneau4thofjuly.net/Home.
—
Related stories:
Missing Nome man has ties to Juneau
Flooding forecasted for start of July Fourth weekend
Forest Service announces changes to Tongass plan
