Bicycle parade opens Fourth of July week celebration

Photo: Young bicyclists and their families gather at Hernando Baptist Church before the start of this year’s July 4th Bicycle Parade with the Optimist Club of Hernando. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)

July 2 – Once again, the Fourth of July celebration in DeSoto County started Tuesday night with the annual Bicycle Parade for youngsters in Hernando. 

The Optimist Club of Hernando annually holds the parade, which gathers in the Hernando Baptist Club parking lot. Members of the Hernando Police Department were on hand to hand out new bike helmets and give bike safety instructions to the kids who took part. 

The parade of bicycles stepped off at 7 p.m. and headed west to and around the Courthouse Square, then returned back to the church parking lot.  

“We encouraged the decorating of bikes, trikes, scooters and participants in patriotic decor,” said Carolyn Young with the Optimist Club.

Here are photos of many of the participants in this year’s bicycle parade.