Nipomo holds annual 4th of July parade throughout the community

NIPOMO, Calif. -- The annual Jim Tefft Memorial 4th of July Parade was held once again this year in Nipomo, but with a different spin.

Instead of taking place in Old Town along Tefft Street, the parade went into the commuity, traveling on streets throughout much of the Nipomo area.

The parade was altered this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since it was created in 2017, the parade has been a huge hit in Nipomo, bringing out thousands of people to the sidewalks and neighborhoods in the Old Town area.

However, due to restrictions prohibiting large gatherings of people, an alternate plan was created in order to keep the parade going this year.

It was decided the event would travel throughout Nipomo, along most of the community's main roadways in order to allow people the ability to watch, while maintaining required physical distancing from others.

The parade started at Nipomo High School at 11 a.m.

It headed south on Thompson Avenue and then proceeded to snake around the Nipomo area for more than hour, traveling at times along Tefft Street, Pomeroy Road, Mesa Road, Orchard Road, Division Street, South Frontage Road, and many others, before finally concluding at Nipomo Community Park.

Nearly 50 entries took part, including many cars, trucks and motorcycles.

Also included, a flyover by the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Department's Aero Squadron.

Afterwards, there was also a a free hot dog giveaway at the South County Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) at their headquarters on Thompson Avenue.

VFW members distributed the hot dogs through hands free service to community members.