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Happy Birthday, America!

Reinbeck salutes America’s birthday with annual Fourth of July Grand Parade

Reinbeck resident and retired Gladbrook-Reinbeck teacher Janet Schildroth waves while driving her restored 1951 John Deere tractor promoting the upcoming Grundy County Fair in Reinbeck’s Fourth of July Grand Parade this past Tuesday. Janet’s tractor – on which she learned to drive – belonged to her late father Everett ‘Bosco’ Wyatt. Her daughter Jodi Schildroth Michael (not pictured) was also driving one of Bosco’s tractors. PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON
Grand Marshal Ty Niedert waves leading the Reinbeck Fourth of July Grand Parade this past Tuesday. PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON
The 2023 Little Miss and Little Mr. Reinbeck – Brynn Stanley and Giovanni Sabbah, respectively – cruise down Second Street in a golf cart during the Fourth of July Grand Parade. PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON
A pair of happy parade participants smile from the cab of a Reinbeck Fire & Rescue ambulance. PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON
A youngster dressed patriotically sits in his caregiver’s lap while riding in one of several Reinbeck Fire & Rescue parade floats this past Tuesday afternoon. PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON
Members of the state runner-up Gladbrook-Reinbeck 2022-23 volleyball team wave and throw candy to the crowds while riding atop of Reinbeck Fire truck during the Reinbeck Fourth of July Grand Parade. PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON
The Gladbrook-Reinbeck 2022-23 football team pictured on their float including a very enthusiastic Henry Mussig, third from right. PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON
A wee babe parade enthusiast pictured enjoying Reinbeck’s Fourth of July Grand Parade – and her fingers! – along Second Street from the safety of her mother’s arms. PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON
A parade pup and his or her owner enjoy the view from their perches atop a restored John Deere tractor during Reinbeck’s Grand Parade. PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON
Members of the Reinbeck High School Class of 1973 – Go Rams! – enjoy the view from their 50th class reunion parade float. PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON Parade4: Last but never least! A pair of jovial horseback riders sporting patriotic gear bring up the rear of Reinbeck’s Fourth of July Grand Parade this past Tuesday afternoon in downtown Reinbeck. PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON
Parade participants wave and smile from the back seat of a Grundy Center Fire Dept. truck. PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON
The Cooley Pumping parade float pictured on July 4 in downtown Reinbeck. PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON
Local birthday girl Jean Wittgreve who turns 100 later this summer participates in the Reinbeck Fourth of July Grand Parade Tuesday afternoon from the passenger seat of a sweet yellow convertible. PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON
The Gladbrook-Reinbeck FFA float which won third place in the Grand Parade float contest. PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON
PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON
The St. John’s Lutheran Church float which won first place this year in the Reinbeck Fourth of July Grand Parade float contest. PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON
The 2022 Grundy County Fair Queen – and Grundy County Extension summer program assistant – Bell Rogers, right, waves while riding on the Grundy County Fair parade float. PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON
The Reinbeck Farmers Market float which won second place in the Grand Parade float contest. PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON
Last but never least! A pair of jovial horseback riders sporting patriotic gear bring up the rear of Reinbeck’s Fourth of July Grand Parade this past Tuesday afternoon in downtown Reinbeck. PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON

REINBECK – Under a glorious blue sky the community of Reinbeck held its annual Fourth of July Grand Parade this past Tuesday afternoon. Hundreds of people flocked to town for the annual event – lining the streets of Broad, Second, College, and Park to catch some candy and a heaping helping of America’s patriotic spirit.

Ty Niedert was this year’s parade Grand Marshal, while Giovanni Sabbah and Brynn Stanley were selected as Little Mr. and Little Miss Reinbeck, respectively.

First place in the parade float contest was awarded to the St. John’s Lutheran Church-Reinbeck float which featured its 2023 Vacation Bible School ‘Stellar’ theme. Second place went to the Reinbeck Farmers Market float and third went to the Gladbrook-Reinbeck FFA float.

One of the most popular parade entries was located practically at the end of the lengthy parade — rural farmer and retired teacher Janet Schildroth, aka ‘Grandma Janet,’ drove her late father Everett ‘Bosco’ Wyatt’s restored 1951 John Deere tractor while sporting a patriotic outfit that included red, white, and blue sunglasses, a visor, and vest. Her float was a moving promotion for the All-American Grundy County Fair which is set to take place July 17-22 this year.

From the Reinbeck, Hudson, and Grundy Center fire trucks, to local birthday girl Jean Wittgreve who turns 100 later this month, to the countless tractors and seemingly everything in between, it was a fine day to be in Reinbeck and celebrate America’s birthday!