GALT, CA (MPG) - From morning to night, Galt’s annual Independence Day Celebration filled the Fourth of July with patriotism and entertainment.

The day started with the Officer Kevin Tonn Memorial 5K, the proceeds of which fund the upkeep of the Officer Kevin Tonn Fallen Heroes Memorial on Civic Drive and a city scholarship.

Once the run finished, the Independence Day Celebration parade wended its way through downtown, taking an alternate route to avoid construction on C Street.

Starting from the Galt Market grounds, the parade traveled along Caroline Avenue and E Street before turning north on Fifth Street, and then taking B and Fourth streets to double back on itself on E Street. There were close to 70 parade entries, ranging from floats to dune buggies to vintage tanks from Eagle Field Foundation.

“We had reports of five or six people deep on Fourth Street,” Parks and Recreation director Armando Solis said.

With temperatures peaking above 100 degrees, some parade participants used small water guns to spray water on the onlookers.

The tanks and other military vehicles had been showcased the day before in the parking lot of Best Western Galt Inn, which also hosted the Eagle Field volunteers; Back Alley Brewhouse and Coffee Shop Bakery provided food to them.

Eager parade watchers crowded along the route, waving and cheering as the floats passed by. Jesse the Tree Guy put up the American flag that flies above the route and Giddens Bros. sponsored parts of that evening’s fun fair.

During and after the parade, attendees spent time perusing vendor booths at the Saturday Market, rescheduled in July to coincide with Independence Day Celebration.

Solis said the market “was a great success, with everybody downtown watching the parade, enjoying the food down there. Our vendors complimented us on how busy it was.”

In the evening, festivities shifted to Veterans Soccer Field, where fun activities awaited families and children.

 The band Innersoul performed R&B and Latin classics, and as the sky darkened, the hot day gradually cooled off.

Finally came the highlight of the night, the fireworks show. A crowd of 250 turned out to Gora Aquatic Center to watch the show from the pool and others spread out on the Veterans Field lawn to ooh and aah as fireworks burst in the air.