For more than four decades, Bob and Maureen Hunt have known exactly where theyll be for the Fourth of July weekend: here in Morgan Hill.

Thats because the Freedom Fests Independence Day Celebrations put on one the most prolific displays of patriotism throughout the entire week, and the two long-standing volunteers have been a major force in its continued success.

Since 1996, the Hunts have taken the lead on the holiday paradewidely considered the centerpiece of the Fourth of July festivities which enters its 142nd running in 2017. However, Bob Hunt began his volunteerism with IDC and Freedom Fest in 1975 while his wife Maureen Hunt became an active member in 1985.

Our duties began multiplying each year until one day we woke up and discovered we were the producers of the parade, shared Maureen, who takes pride in making each parade year better than the last. It was gonna be a three-year assignment, and that was in 1996.

This year will be the Hunts last as the parade committee chairs, but the two are not going anywhere and plan to remain on for many more years to help keep the tradition going.

Weve already started on next years parade, said Maureen, who shared that Ray Pulver, a professional parade producer and president of the California Festivals and Events Organization, will be taking over the reins in 2018. Were going to be right there working alongside him.

Parade to celebrate national parks, firefighters

The Hunts also talked about this year's theme for the Fourth of July parade: Americas National Parks: 100 years and counting.

We have found in our years that if you have a theme, people can visualize the floats and entries become more exciting, Maureen explained. People are thinking about what they can do to follow the theme.

At last count, there are 155 entrants in this years parade, including about 23 floats, 10 marching bands, 12 groups of horses and 16 community organizations from not only Morgan Hill but throughout Santa Clara County and beyond.

The grand marshal (or grand marshal organization) for the 2017 parade is a tribute to all firefighters who serve the Morgan Hill area, including Morgan Hill Fire Department and Cal Fire Santa Clara.

This year, we are celebrating and honoring firefighters, Maureen said. They keep our national parks safe from burning down as well as our homes. And dont just protect our homes from fires, but also from flooding.

In years past, IDC organizers have paid tribute to other groups rather than one individual, such as honoring World War II veterans as grand marshal one year.

The parade, which begins at 10 a.m. July 4 in downtown Morgan Hill, is only part of the annual Freedom Fest. Local organizers offer a wide array of events and activities surrounding the Independence Day weekend with a youth chorus performing patriotic tunes, a family-centered music fest in downtown, a 5K run (and 1-mile walk) on local streets, a classic car show, a 2,500-participant parade and a massive fireworks display for a night cap.

The nonprofit Independence Day Celebration, which is committed to reinforcing and sustaining the principles of American freedom in our community through Independence Day events of the Morgan Hill Freedom Fest, fundraises more than $150,000 and encompasses more than 500 volunteers each year to organize and produce the weeklong activities.

Organizers estimate more than 50,000 parade watchers showed up for the spectacle last year to watch the marching bands, colorful floats, a variety of performance groups and numerous specialty entities.

Hunts have deep-rooted pride in country

Maureens devotion to honoring America began at very young age as a daughter in a military family.

Were very patriotic individuals anyway. I grew up in the Air Force. I was an Air Force brat, Maureen shared. America has always been near and dear to my heart. Ive always been a flag-waver and so has Bob. Its something that we carry in our heartsnot just this time of year, but all times of year.

Bobs patriotic roots stem from experiences in the 1940s-50s.

I grew up in the 40s and 50s and we had an international war going on and allies pulled together and defeated fascism, and we have continued on strengthening our American way of life, Bob said. It has been a great part of our lives forever.

It wasnt an accident that the Hunts were given the keys to the holiday parade. Bob directed his first parade at 17 years old while a freshman in college and Maureen was a majorette in high school. Interestingly, Maureen went to high school in Germany with other children of military and diplomatic families.

Some of my classmates come to Morgan Hill every year for the Fourth of July and work with us here, Maureen said. Theyve adopted (Morgan Hill) as their hometown for the Fourth of July.

The Hunts moved to Morgan Hill in 1970.

When we moved to Morgan Hill, there was under 6,000 people in this town, she recalled.

Now, the Hunts hope to instill patriotic values into a younger generation and recruit them to carrying on the IDCs Morgan Hill Freedom Fest tradition.

The Freedom Fest IDC organization is one of the best organizations that we have ever been involved in...If youre in it, you have a job and you do it Maureen said. If you want to volunteer for the very best, then give us a buzz because we always need new volunteers. It would be great to have some younger people join the organization. We all want and need more volunteers.

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Hunts remain driving force in Freedom Fest parade - Morgan Hill Times