BY ANDREA TORTORA
The Cincinnati Enquirer
FORT MITCHELL -- Thousands of patriotic patrons packed Dixie Highway on Saturday morning, waving American flags as one of Northern Kentucky's largest Fourth of July parades passed by.
Standing on sidewalks or front porches, or under trees, residents of Fort Mitchell, Lakeside Park, Crescent Springs and Fort Wright packed this quaint downtown to celebrate the holiday.
For the Epping family of Lakeside Park, the wait before the parade was time for a traditional picnic -- right on the sidewalk.
"We like it 'cause you get to eat outside," said Ethan Epping, 7, as he drank some juice. Seated next to him on a yellow and green flowered blanket was the rest of his family: Dad Jim Epping and siblings Lydia and Elliott, both 4. Grandma and Grandpa Bob and Irene Ruberg of Fort Wright and Mom Sheryl Ruberg-Epping sat in lawn chairs next to the blanket.
The menu of turkey and ham sandwiches, watermelon, pretzels and chocolate chip cookies had passers-by getting hungry.
Mrs. Ruberg-Epping started the pavement picnic to keep the kids excited about the parade.
"You have to get here early to get a spot, so you might as well eat," Mr. Epping said.
The Fort Mitchell parade was one of a dozen celebrations including parades, community picnics and fireworks displays in the cities of Covington, Edgewood, Fort Thomas, Florence, Ludlow and Warsaw. Lakeside Park residents Deb and Dennis Skorewicz and Colleen, Charlotte and Lee Quinn staked out a viewing spot right next to the Greyhound Tavern.
With everyone dressed in red, white or blue T-shirts and shorts, the group said they enjoy the parade for the community feeling it provides.
"It reminds me of the parades when I was growing up," Mr. Skorewicz said.
Farther north on Dixie Highway, Larry Gronefeld pumped a water gun from the back of a pickup truck.
"It's sort of a war between us and the firemen every year," said Mr. Gronefeld, a Crescent Springs councilman. "The only trouble is they'vegot water balloons."
When fire trucks from Fort Mitchell, Fort Wright, Park Hills, Erlanger and Crescent Springs rolled past the crowd with sirens blasting, a tall, constant spray of water from the Crescent Springs pumper truck kept the crowd cool.
Using the truck's water hose, firefighters splashed anyone they could reach.
