Grand Marshal & Theme Winner:
Every year, the Parade honors an individual (or occasionally, individuals) who exhibit the grass-roots ideals the parade exemplifies of service to the community, devotion to family, and love of country. A Grand Marshal is nominated by members of the community and is honored on Parade Day by leading the Parade in a convertible and by official recognition from the reviewing stand and in the Parade Book.
This year’s Grand Marshal, Bruce McCubbin, has been a part of the Kingsville Independence Day Parade annually since 1983. He began by providing a PA system for reviewing stand announcements and, over the years, increased his involvement with the Parade to the point that he served on the Committee that plans and runs the Parade and as the Parade’s Master of Ceremonies for over 20 years. Bruce has over 40 years’ experience as a Human Resources professional and manager. He retired at the end of last year.as the Chief of Administrative Services for the U.S. Copyright Office, and was it’s principal HR official. Earlier, he was a mobile DJ who regularly played private affairs all over the Mid-Atlantic. Bruce and his wife, Pat, were Harford County residents for 37 years before moving to Towson last year.
We congratulate Lynn Olivia Verzinski Eckenrode, who was nominated for this year's parade theme "From Liberty's View."
Lynn Olivia Verzinski Eckenrode attends Redeemer Classical Christian School (RCCS) in Kingsville. She is the daughter of Becky Verzinski and James Eckenrode who live in Baltimore. The entering sixth grader is an A student who loves science, history, and Latin. Lynn enjoys any artistic endeavor including theatre, chorus, creative writing, and music. She plays piano, saxophone, and guitar. Recently, she was a cast member in the spring production of the Wizard of Oz at RCCS. Her past summer theatre credits include Lion King Jr., Little Mermaid Jr., and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Since she was six years old, Lynn has been a member of the Cardinal and Gold Aquatics swim team. She is also a member of the RCCS volleyball team and earned her green belt in karate in 2020.In her spare time, she enjoys reading, cooking, traveling, bike riding, ice skating, riding rollercoasters, and spending time with her pet turtle, Oliver, and her rescue cat, Ginger. She is honored to be a part of the 2021 Kingsville Independence Day Parade.
Local Elementary School Student Competition
Early every spring, students from local elementary schools are invited through their schools to submit ideas for the upcoming Parade's theme. The winning student receives a prize and is honored on parade day by riding in a convertible at the head of the parade and by being officially recognized from the reviewing stand and in the Parade Book.
Please contact the Parade Chairperson if your child wants to participate in next year's competition but hasn't received information from their school.
The Star Spangled Banner
"Oh, say can you see
By the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed
At the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars
Through the perilous fight
O'er the ramparts we watched,
Were so gallantly, yeah, streaming?
And the rockets' red glare
The bombs bursting in air
Gave proof through the night
That our flag was still there
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave"
Independence Day
Independence Day (colloquially the Fourth of July) is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the Declaration of Independence of the United States, on July 4, 1776. The Continental Congress declared that the thirteen American colonies were no longer subject to the monarch of Britain and were now united, free, and independent states. Independence Day is the national day of the United States.
