With temperatures reaching 80 degrees, the annual Burtonsville Day festivities had a summer-like feel on Saturday, September 27. As spectators arrived before the parade began at 10 AM, they searched eagerly along the sidewalks to find a seat that would have the best view of the much-anticipated event.

The parade soon began and the festivities were off. Performers, including Paint Branch’s Marching Band and Color Guard were some of the first to walk the parade. Springbrook’s Drumline was also there as well as Bolivian folk dancers from Virginia in their colorful dresses. Of course, no local parade would be complete without dog trainers from Laurel performing some of their best tricks with well-trained dogs marching in sync.

The cheerful, young spectators were quite excited by the candy being handed out and launched at them from floats belonging to the Boy Scouts. As the parade came to an end, everyone made their way to the Marilyn J. Praisner Library parking lot for food, games and rewards. Vendors sold red and pink mums and violet and mixed colored pansies, and they were selling quickly. The center stage was filled first by Springbrook’s Marching Band, which was followed by the Gonzo Cowboys who played some 60’s classics.

The aroma of culturally diverse foods filled the air. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community provided Indian style chickpeas and Middle Eastern bread and were flanked by free henna tattoo artists drawing their best flowery designs and adding some glitter to them as well. The Burtonsville Lions Club also provided the event with hot dogs, cheeseburgers and sodas.

First-time spectators and those who make the event an annual tradition equally enjoyed the festivities. Paint Branch senior Kenia Reyes, who experienced her first Burtonsville Day, liked “how the community is so close to each other on this day.”

Spectators such as Kehinde Adekoya, who is a regular at the event, “love’s watching the marching bands perform yearly.”

Burtonsville Day 2014 was a great success, and it was wonderful to see the whole community come out to celebrate this day in honor of Isaac Burton, whom Burtonsville was named after. So, if you haven’t come out to Burtonsville Day’s festivities in the past, then you must do so next year; otherwise you’re missing out.