Celebration in Shabbona: Parade, events highlight Fourth of July festivities

Gage Oleson thinks that the parade that passed through downtown Shabbona on Saturday is even better than Halloween. The 5-year-old didn't have to dress up and he didn't even have to go from door to door. All he had to do was stand along the street in front of a relative's house, clutching a plastic bag, and wait to be showered with Tootsie Rolls, candy corn and licorice. All types of candy were thrown from the passing floats taking part Saturday in the annual parade, which is part of the 2008 Shabbona Hometown Festival, the village's annual Fourth of July celebration. About 30 floats, firetrucks, convertibles and even two llamas lined up in the parking lot at Indian Creek High School on Saturday morning before making their way through town.