The Independence Day parade in Orange Walk Town has become one of the most colorful attractions in our country today. Before you accuse me of blowing my town’s trumpet, let me give you a little historical background how this event became so lively and entertaining, then I will give you some highlights of the parade, complete with pictures.
In March 2006 the United Democratic Party was returned to Town Hall in OW for the first time in nine years. September 21 of that same year was coincidentally also the twenty-fifth anniversary of our Independence; our silver jubilee. Of major significance was the fact that in a few months after the celebrations, the General Elections were to take place, and the atmosphere was very tense here in Orange Walk, to put it mildly. These circumstances put the PUP government in a spot: they wanted to make this particular Independence Day into a spectacular event, but to do so would make the UDP Council look good.
The PUP ultimately chose to grant each municipality $20,000 but they wanted to chair the Celebration Committee. The UDP team in OW felt at that time that the government of the day wanted to snatch legitimate control of the celebrations from the Committee and “run things”, so to speak. In the end, the OWTC only received $15,000 and the PUP took the remainder to organize their individual functions.
The Council then decided to organize a radio-thon, where the September Celebrations Committee (SCC) received over $23,000 in contributions from our fellow Orange Walkeños. With this money, the SCC proceeded to put together a massive program of entertainment for the entire month of September which gave back to the people what they so selflessly donated. This included one of the longest and most colorful Independence parades the town had ever witnessed. Several carnival groups, music bands and marching bands came to OW from all over, including a university group from Guatemala. Thus a tradition was born, and the event has only gotten bigger and more attractive with each passing year.
This Monday 21 it was no different. Our fellow citizens were treated once more to an impressive and flashy half-mile carnival, with a multihued display of dances and floats, advancing end to end in the warm sun. We had musical talent and cultural groups from Belize City, Corozal, Guatemala, Yucatan and of course several from our own district. The huge crowds from OW and other districts that lined our streets had nothing but applause for the properly organized events, both for the brilliant fireworks display on the twentieth night and the jubilant twenty-first afternoon. The visitors from Yucatan, in an interview after the parade, commented positively on the cheerful spirit of the participants and on the number of people that attended these events.
Even the speeches by our political leaders were not as fiery as in the past, as if in anticipation of the exhibition that would follow. All went well for us up here in the North, and Orange Walkeños went home satisfied that once again our district had excelled in its program of activities. I want to invite you to come visit us next year to see for yourself how big we celebrate our Independence Day here in OW.
