It is the 17th year that the Freedom Days Parade or also called Independence Day Parade is held in Oceanside, California. The two-hour parade, from 10 AM to 12:00 noon, stretched from Coast Highway in Wisconsin Avenue to Civic Center Drive (just past the City Hall), was participated by different groups and marching bands, together with floats and vehicles decorated with red, blue and white colors of the American flag. The theme this year is "Celebrating 68 Years of Military History".

The association has been joining this parade for years to promote the presence of FIL-AM's and the association in the community. Officers, members and volunteers wake up early to decorate their vehicles and the FIL-AM float, the big flatbed being made available yearly through the generosity of S & R Towing Service.

 

Participants posed for pictures as they wait for the parade to start. Winners and finalists of the just-concluded 2010 Mrs. Fil-Am, Little Miss and Pre-teen Fil-Am pageants (held on June 12th Filipino Cultural Day) definitely add glamour to our colorful floats. Also, joining them were the 2009-2010 Miss Fil-Am 1st runner up Tatiana Robinson and 2009 Little Miss Fil-Am Melanie Pagayonan and some cultural fashion show models.

 

 

The parade begins....FIL-AM members wearing FIL-AM t-shirts marched with the association's banner; followed by our vehicles and floats bearing the beautiful FIL-AM pageant winners and candidates waving to the crowd's delight.

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