BREWER, Maine — To kick off the holiday, hundreds gathered on both sides of the Penobscot River to watch the Bangor-Brewer Independence Day Parade on Monday morning.
Leading the annual event were local veterans and volunteers from the Maine Troop Greeters Museum of Bangor, followed by a bell ringing in memory of those who fought in World War II.
Vietnam Veteran Phil Marrs said he is celebrating what he fought for years ago, this Fourth of July.
"Freedom. One word that sums it up is freedom," Marrs said. "It's something that I fought for, a lot of other people before me fought for, and we will continue to fight for because we are free, and we're going to stay free."
After making its way through Brewer, the parade crossed the Penobscot River, where American flags greeted those taking part as they turned onto Main Street in Bangor.
Onlookers could spot fire trucks, decorated motorcycles, and a steel drum band coming down Wilson Street.
Jeffrey Brauer from Holden said parades on the Fourth of July are not just a tradition for him but also a way to show support.
"As a kid, we would always go to parades and such. And the Fourth of July is a big parade, a very important part of our country. And I'm just happy to live in this country," Brauer said.