REINBECK – The weather was hot, humid, and sunny last Thursday afternoon for Reinbeck’s 4th of July Grand Parade enabling all the patriotically dressed folks from both near and far to rather comfortably enjoy the roughly half-hour, annual procession through town.

This year’s parade Grand Marshal was ‘small but mighty fighter’ Greyson Engel, 2, who rode atop a Shriners’ convertible along with his family. Greyson was diagnosed with the rare genetic disorder Metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD) back in June of 2023. In the months since the diagnosis, the Reinbeck community has lovingly embraced the Engel family with support including lighting up the town the evening of July 3 with one of the youngster’s favorite things – Christmas lights.

Also featured near the front of the parade was 2024 Reinbeck Citizen Spotlight Award honoree Dale Wambold and his family who rode in a Shriners’ vintage auto, and 2024 Little Miss and Little Mr. Reinbeck – Addisyn Morgan and Jerome Cecak, respectively – who rode in a Reinbeck Fire-Rescue side-by-side.

The Grand Parade’s first-place winner this year was the Gladbrook-Reinbeck Class of 2004’s 20-year reunion float.