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Saturday, Jul. 05, 2008

Lexington lives its independence

Lexingtonians hold this truth to be self-evident: There's no better day to be downtown with family and friends than the Fourth of July.

From the starting gun of the Bluegrass 10,000 until the last flicker of fireworks over Rupp Arena, it's our own special celebration of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

It must be something in the community DNA. After all, Lexington was founded in June 1775, a year before American independence was formally declared. But those patriotic pioneers named their new town for Lexington, Mass., because they had just gotten word of the battle there that began the revolution against Britain.

This Independence Day began with light rain falling on the 3,632 registered entrants in the 32nd annual Bluegrass 10,000 as they lined up along Main Street waiting for the race to start. It was wet, but at least it was cool.

Some came to test their athleticism; others to socialize. Still others just seemed to enjoy an excuse to play in the rain.

It was an eclectic bunch: doctors, lawyers, teachers, plumbers, politicians and salesmen. I also saw a Navy captain and a dance choreographer.

Jacob Korir, the Eastern Kentucky University track star and potential Olympian, won the race for the second straight year.

But Korir probably didn't have as much fun as Lin West, who crossed the finish line more than an hour later, hand-in-hand with his 5½-year-old daughter, Callie.

“Last year, she rode in a stroller,” West said. “But this year, we finished.”

As the race and showers ended, people poured onto Vine Street. There they found all manner of food, from pulled pork to Greek spinach pie, and booths advocating causes and selling arts and crafts.

On one corner, six members of the Bluegrass Dulcimer Club strummed away while across the street the Dream Interpretation tent did a brisk business.

Cloudy skies kept temperatures in the mid-70s. A little less humidity and it would have been perfect.

The afternoon parade down Vine and Main streets was diversity in motion — and more than a little corny.

The governor and mayor rode in horse-drawn carriages; other elected officials and candidates rode in automobiles. Every club and activist group seemed to be represented, from the Sierra Club to Friends of Coal.

Companies touted their wares, and churches spread the Gospel. Ramsey's Diner had my favorite gimmick: The workers on its float handed out ears of sweet corn.

As the parade broke up, people began moving to Rupp Arena's Cox Street lot for Red, White and Boom, where Central Kentucky's own John Michael Montgomery was to perform before a fireworks spectacular to put an exclamation point on the day.

A few blocks from all the hubbub, on Hampton Court, Joe Childers and Denise Smith had about 100 friends over for their annual party.

“We moved into this house on July 3, 1996, and had our first party the next day,” said Childers, a lawyer. “A few friends brought bottles of champagne, so we thought that would be a good thing to do every year.”

The highlight of the party is always a dramatic reading of the Declaration of Independence, which is printed on the Herald-Leader's editorial page each July 4.

Noted Lexington author Ed McClanahan did the honors this year, carrying his folded newspaper to the first floor landing of the staircase in the old house's expansive foyer. Everyone gathered around as Childers shushed noisy children upstairs.

“When in the course of human events ...” McClanahan began.

As he read aloud the Founding Fathers' grievances against King George III and their determination to live and govern themselves as free men, all of the adults in the house stood quietly, champagne glasses in hand. It was a time to reflect on that 232-year-old document that in many ways make us who we are.

“I'm really glad I was asked to read it,” McClanahan said afterward. “It made me really listen to the words. I didn't know I liked it so much.”

Across Lexington, everyone said, “Amen,” whether they realized it or not.