Massive July 4th parade continues in Eastmoreland

INCLUDES CELEBRATORY VIDEO | See why some folks drive west from outer East Portland to participate in this celebration …

Before and after the 2022 Eastmoreland Independence Day Parade, folks mingle in the parking lot of Duniway Elementary School.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton

With no July 4^th celebrations to be found in outer East Portland, East Portland News headed west, to the Eastmoreland neighborhood, to check out the festivities there.

As has been the tradition since at least the 1990s – only missing a year in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic – Eastmoreland volunteers put on their big Independence Day Parade the late morning of Monday, the Fourth of July.

Serving all comers with free, freshly made Otto’s hot dogs, including these Portland Police Bureau Motorcycle Officers, is Tanner Saxe (Jerry’s grandson), Jerry Eichentopf of Otto’s Sausage Kitchen, Kevin Coniglio (Jerry’s son-in law).

Long before most of the revelers arrived, Jerry Eichentopf of Otto’s Sausage Kitchen, along with his family and crew, were stoking their grills – getting them ready to prepare “1,800 buns and ‘a lot of hot dogs’ that we brought to the parade,” he said.

By 10:30 a.m., vehicles were lining up along Reed College Place near Duniway Elementary School, and members of the Portland Police Bureau’s “Motorcycle Team” were arriving (the “Traffic Division” has officially been disbanded).

Eastmoreland Independence Day Parade is about to begin.

A joyful throng fills SE Reed College Place as the Eastmoreland Independence Day Parade is underway.

Joanne Carlson shows off her photographic history of the Eastmoreland Independence Day Parade.

“This parade, put on by the Eastmoreland Neighborhood Association, has been going since 1994,” neighborhood historian Joanne Carlson told East Portland News.

“This event started as a bicycle parade; now we have cars, bicycles, and lots and lots of people on foot!” she added.

Many dressed in red, white and blue, folks take to the street to be part of this Eastmoreland Independence Day Parade.

“And, we’re so grateful for the Portland Police Bureau motorcycle officers coming every year,” she said. “Especially this year; we understand they’re simply volunteering to be here. And, we also appreciate Portland Fire & Rescue allowing firefighters from Station 20 in Westmoreland to come back this year to be part of our parade.”

Watch and see the fun everyone had at the event this year:

She also extended gratitude to the Eichentopf family from Otto’s, as well as sponsors Woodstock Safeway, Bi-Mart, and Trader Joe’s.

“It is amazing: A quarter of an hour before the start, you would think there wouldn’t be a parade,” observed Carlson. “But by the time it starts at 11 a.m., a thousand people appear!”

And, so they did. Riding, biking, and walking in the parade – many of those on foot with an American Flag in one hand – and an Otto’s hot dog in the other.

Comments are closed.