Scaled-down July 4 marked with motorcade, fireworks

The Garapan Fishing Base was ablaze with fireworks last night, capping a scaled down celebration of Liberation Day in the CNMI. Earlier in the day, members of the community took part in a Liberation Day motorcade. (JOSHUA SANTOS/BEA CABRERA)

Despite the scaled-down celebration of Liberation Day this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a motorcade and a fireworks display that marked the occasion still happened yesterday, thanks to the collective efforts of many in the community who made sure the day won’t pass without these traditional July 4th celebrations.

Military organizations on Saipan, the Office of the Governor, the Saipan Mayor’s Office, and the Department of Public Safety, teamed up with the Young Gunz, a group of independent riders, and the community for the motorcade, which saw over 100 vehicles sporting 4th of July-themed decorations. Some notable participants of the motorcade were Mayor David M. Apatang and Gov. Ralph DLG Torres and first lady Diann Torres.

The motorcade began from Garapan Fishing Base at 9am, with a route that went southbound down Beach Road, passing through Saipan’s main roads, and circling back to the Fishing Base around two hours later.

In an interview before the motorcade began, Apatang praised the community and all those involved for making a July 4 parade-like event possible despite the short amount of time to prepare for it. “We don’t have a parade this year, but we have an impromptu motorcade this morning. …I just want to tell our people here, our community, happy Liberation Day, and enjoy your day,” said Apatang.

Also in an interview pre-motorcade, commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3457 Joe W. McDoulett shared that the VFW played “just a small part” in making Sunday’s motorcade possible, as it was a genuine collective effort to make an event of its scale possible on short notice. “[It’s] a huge undertaking; it takes more than a few months to get all of that put together. …The support that we’re going to have today is pretty big, so we’re excited about that,” said McDoulett.

In a separate interview, Torres wished the CNMI a happy Liberation Day, and saw the day as a time to appreciate what independence means to the CNMI. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Torres also sees the day as an opportunity to celebrate with family and friends and “appreciate the little things in life.” The Torreses participated in the motorcade, with their vehicle sporting multiple American flags.

Later in the evening, around 8pm, the Saipan Mayor’s Office held a fireworks display at the Garapan Fishing Base.