Valencia resident throws drive-by July 4 parade for neighbors

Event organizer Jocelyn Reyes, center, leads a group as they dance in the street as part of a Fourth of July celebration on Conde Drive in Valencia on Saturday, July 04, 2020. Dan Watson/The Signal
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When Valencia resident Jocelyn Reyes found out that the local Fourth of July Parade and fireworks display would not take place due to the pandemic, she thought to organize a small, socially-distanced event to cheer up her neighbors. 

On Saturday morning, residents on Conde Drive were welcomed with a drive-by parade and Zumba dancers all dressed in July 4 gear. 

“With us being quarantined for months, everything’s just changed,” said Reyes. “We’ve been at home without being able to see our friends and families so I thought that I had to turn things around and make something positive out of these unfortunate events.” 

Nika Moosavi, 12, pops out of the sun roof to wave her flag during the car parade, Fourth of July celebration on Conde Drive in Valencia on Saturday, July 04, 2020. Dan Watson/The Signal

Family units, each donning face masks, waved American flags and red, white and blue balloons from their vehicles that formed a line of about nine cars. 

Reyes led a group of dancers that took to the street as part of the celebration. 

Sina Moosavi, 5, sits in his toy police car as he waits for the car parade to begin during the Fourth of July celebration on Conde Drive in Valencia on Saturday, July 04, 2020. Dan Watson/The Signal

“It was a lot of fun even though it had to be a little different this year. We were socially distanced and we even got emotional because we hadn’t seen each other for the longest time. It was a very special time with very good energy,” said Reyes. 

The small event lasted about an hour and was part of a handful of Fourth of July celebrations in the Santa Clarita Valley tweaked this year to practice physical distancing amid the ongoing pandemic. 

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