The Fourth of July parade celebrated Swampscott and independence with floats and bands, marchers and riders, and super heroes, hometown heroes and celebrity enactors.

The Ocean Bay Neighborhood Girl Scout color guard led the parade, this being the 100th anniversary of the Girl Scouts.

Parade watchers lined Humphrey Street and gathered on the expansive Town Hall lawn. They listened to Yankee Doodle, When The Saints Go Marching In, and military numbers.

The good cheer, strawberry shortcake and music beat out its own summer rhythm as the sun went down.

Soap bubbles drifted, dragon flies swooped high and low and dead-eye children hurled candy from moving vehicles at unsuspecting parade watchers.

A highlight included the Tony Barrie Band stopping by Monument Avenue to play Happy Birthday to Tony Barrie on his 91st birthday.

Shuffle Mode sounded terrific on the Town Hall lawn.

They played rock 'n' roll and rhythm and blues including hits by Van Morrison, Sam and Dave and The Beatles.

As always, the Big Blue football seniors road on floats with the Big Blue senior cheerleaders. Younger players and cheerleaders served strawberry shortcake on the Town Hall lawn.