By George Brown V

A crowd of revelers adorned in festive patriotic apparel basked in sushine as they gathered on the former Upper Great Highway to celebrate the second annual Fourth of July parade, at the newly christened Sunset Dunes park.

Organized by Friends of Sunset Dunes, a non-profit organization focused on promoting and improving the newly designated park, the Fourth of July parade spanned from Noriega Street to Kirkham Street. Although this is the second Fourth of July parade on the former Upper Great Highway, last year’s was a much more intimate gathering. This year marks the first large-scale parade in the area.

Brian Reyes, who has helped plan the event for the last two years, is one of the volunteers of Friends of Sunset Dunes who was inspired to bring people in the community together to honor this holiday.

“The purpose of this parade is the need for community, so that we can be outside engaging ourselves in the neighborhood in more meaningful ways,” Reyes said. “During the pandemic, this road shut down, and we envisioned a space for people to gather. I wanted to help this space adapt to climate change and wind erosion, and climate resilience is all about community. Our volunteers are inspired by this space and this vision.”

Friends of Sunset Dunes utilized both digital and physical media to attract more than 1,000 attendees to the event. Reyes is hopeful for the future of Sunset Dunes and believes that it will, in the future, host more parades and continue to bring people together.

California State Sen. Scott Wiener marched in the procession as he waved to families along the parade route.

“There are so many people here from all walks of life,” Wiener said. “It shows the diversity of San Francisco all here in Sunset Dunes celebrating our nation’s birthday.”

The San Francisco Pride Band, led by director and drum major Mike Wong, began the procession promptly at noon. The band played familiar classics, such as “California Here I Come” and “San Francisco,” as well as “Born This Way” by Lady Gaga, inviting the audience to sing along. Archivist of the band, Andrea Nguyen, recalled that they were first invited to participate in the parade last year when District 4 Supervisor Joel Engardio, one of the organizers of the occasion, reached out so they could bring music to the neighborhood.

Following the band were three Chinese dance groups, comprised of Sunset residents in their 70s and 80s. The SF Happy Dancing Team – dressed in characteristic lavender floral Chinese gowns with parasols – and the SF Dancing Team in fire-red skirts with brightly colored fans, twirled and swayed to traditional Chinese music. The HaHa Laugh Dance Team energized the crowd with its routine set to the Village People’s “YMCA.”

The festivities continued all afternoon, and children leaped from one attraction to the next, as they explored a firetruck and chased giant bubbles. The Sunset Community Band, which was formed last December and plays at various community functions throughout the City, entertained families as some parents waited patiently in long lines for their children to have their faces painted or to have the opportunity to jump around in the popular bouncy houses. One of the highlights of the gathering was the free apple and cherry pies supplied by Gus’s Community Market.

Latoya Kirk, who lives in the Sunset District, brought her children, Nova, Andrew and Kaiser. Andrew and Kaiser looked forward to getting Spider-Man painted on their faces. They all suggested that prizes distributed to kids next year would be a great improvement.

“I really liked the bubbles, and I’m excited to get my face painted,” Nova said, anticipating getting the design of a rainbow or flower.

While San Francisco residents continue to be divided about the establishment of Sunset Dunes, many are hopeful this Fourth of July celebration will become a cherished tradition for the community.

“San Francisco has never had a citywide parade in this area, and Sunset Dunes is a perfect place for that,” Engardio said. “It brings people together so they can celebrate the promise of our nation, reflect on the work we still need to do and make sure we protect our democracy.”