Quince Orchard Park Celebrates July 4th Tradition

Families turned out for the Quince Orchard Park Fourth of July parade and festivities on Saturday with decorated wagons, strollers and even pets to wave flags and march down Orchard Ridge Road.

The festival has been a long-standing tradition of this small but growing community located off of Great Seneca Highway in Gaithersburg. With the focus on family fun, the celebration offered a moonbounce, entertainment and games for the kids, hot dogs, drinks and a great chance to visit with neighbors. 

“We have been doing this Fourth of July event since the neighborhood was built over 12 years ago,” said Troy Kennedy, Quince Orchard Park resident and board chair of the event. “What started out as a small community cookout has grown as the community has been built up.”

A small marching band from the Pritchard School of Music to lead the parade joined this year's festivities, according to Chuck Crisotomo, a resident and parade organizer.

"As a neighborly gesture we invited the new residents of the nearby Vistas development to join us for the festivities,” he added.

Sheila Bouley, Quince Orchard Park resident and mother of three, has been attending the Fourth of July parade since moving to the neighborhood more than eight years ago.

“It has been a great event for the kids. They look forward to it every year,” she said. “We have graduated from decorating strollers to wagons to scooters and now bikes. We never miss it.”   

As the marching band of middle schoolers played “Grand Old Flag,” there was something very American about Quince Orchard Park’s Independence Day celebration of community, family and fun.