Last week saw a lot of the country coming out of their homes and braving the summer heat for one of America’s greatest traditions – the celebration of independence. One particular neighborhood that really hits the nail on the head each year with the celebratory event is right here in LA, the Valley Village.

A true, back-to-basics old-school localized parade, it’s a celebration that excludes no one – the whole neighborhood shows up. Pancakes were served at the pre-parade community breakfast, bikes and strollers were decorated and Colfax Avenue’s Faith Presbyterian Church offered a great vantage point right where the route rounds the corner.

Red, white and blue trimmings were everywhere – all put on by the organizers and additional volunteers who have been setting this up for over two-and-a-half decades – the Valley Village Homeowners Association.

They didn’t intend for it to get so big and even try to keep it on the down-low but its popularity has spread from around 100 people barbecuing in the park to around 2,000 parade participants.

Also in attendance were three local couples given recognition for their volunteer work in the community as well as politicians: Nazarian, Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Porter Ranch, state Sen. Bob Hertzberg, D-Van Nuys, and Los Angeles City Councilman Paul Krekorian.