Under a sunny sky with the street and sidewalks lined with people smiling and waving, the Dexter Bicentennial Parade was one for the history books.

Over 50 marching groups and about 30 single vehicles participated in the parade with the theme “A March through Time.”

It truly was a community parade as kids, adults, groups and individuals all walked down Ann Arbor Street toward downtown celebrating 200 years of Dexter.

There were marchers carrying the banners displaying different eras in the community with artistic visuals created by Dexter students. There were different vehicles from the past, such as the 1925 Dexter Fire Department firetruck, represented in the parade, as well as groups like the Dexter Lions Club.

A big highlight for a lot of the children, as always, is watching the parade and trying to catch the candy being thrown by the parade participants. Many kids got candy being thrown to them by the local little league baseball players, who were marching in the parade. Another highlight was seeing parade-goers dressed up in historical costume, such as the Dexter Drama Club, as well as Judge Dexter himself.

The parade really was celebrating the past and embracing the future.

Photos by Rob Marshke and Chuck Colby