Brooksville throws a party for America’s 250th
A parade, concert, and hundreds of snow cones were all part of the celebration
Aug. 3, 2026
By John Epstein
Gayle Clifford waves the flag—or flags—at the parade. Photo by John Epstein.
BROOKSVILLE—While other towns on the Blue Hill Peninsula celebrated the nation’s 250th anniversary on the Fourth of July, Brooksville kept its powder dry. But on a perfect day for a parade – no rain and not too much sun — the town’s festivities kicked off on the morning of Aug. 2 with a 5K race followed by breakfast at the West Brooksville Congregational Church, where 150 egg sandwiches were consumed.
Then came the parade, a half-mile long assemblage of floats, tractors, classic cars and trucks, and marchers, including a clown and a woman twirling a mean baton. The parade wound its way through the town in a loop, starting at the Brooksville Elementary School and heading up Coastal Road, climbing the hill to the church, cutting over to Wharf Road to then making its way back down the hill. Folks set up chairs or sat on the back of pick-ups to watch and cheer.
Linda Currie and her granddaughters, all dressed in white clothing with a vintage look, promoted the Equal Rights Amendment, carrying a sign “I wish Ma could vote.” One float featured a giant brook trout with a saddle. Another had a Christmas theme, even though that holiday is five months away.
Back at the school, children participated in craft making, jumped in a bouncy house, and ate a couple of hundred snow cones, all provided by Brooksville’s Public Library. People also lined up at a food truck for barbeque. And at 4 p.m., Flash in the Pans put on a steel pan concert.
The Rising Tide was there to capture images of the event. A selection of photos are below, along with a video.
Parade video by John Epstein.
