Hundreds of residents from Ocean Beach, Ocean Bay Park and the surrounding area participated in and watched the annual Fourth of July Children’s Wagon Parade as the vehicles used to transport supplies onto the barrier island became the framework for the island’s own version of floats. A total of 67 Fire Island wagons were fitted out as floats; some played music, as each wagon became its own world, often with a roof designed to provide shade from the sun. Wagons named Never Never Land, Firecracker, Spiderman, Candyland, Flower Girl, What about Bob? and The Mermaid passed by. Children, adults, and an occasional dog wore costumes. Organized by the Ocean Beach Community Fund and the Village of Ocean Beach, the parade has become as much of a July Fourth tradition as the fireworks in neighboring communities.
“It’s a wonderful tradition, followed by the fire department cookout on the field and games for the children,” Ocean Beach Community Fund Co-President Holy Etlin said. “Other communities hold Fourth of July events or parades at other times in the summer. Ours is unique to the Fourth of July.” Ocean Beach Mayor Jim Mallott, who announced the wagons by name as they passed, described the parade as a Fire Island tradition for residents and frequent renters.“Almost every home has a wagon,” he said. “Every home has a wagon to drag stuff to and from the ferry. They dress up the home wagon.”
While in past years, concerns mainly focused on rain, this year the heat was the main worry, as residents and officials battled the summer sizzle with water and shade. “We weren’t nervous about the rain. We were nervous about the heat,” Etlin said. “We gave them water, and many parents designed floats with shade.” Some residents who spend part of the year in Manhattan described this Fourth of July parade on Fire Island as a match for larger events. “This one’s special,” said Paula Ingram, near her granddaughter, Emma Sadownick, and her wagon. “This one’s special, especially when children make so much of it themselves.
