WILLIMANTIC -- While many towns celebrated with Fourth of July parades, one town marched without any live music.
People in Willimantic brought their boom boxes instead. The tradition started back in 1986 when a resident found out that the local high school that year had no marching band, and asked the local radio station to broadcast a couple hours of marching band music.
Today the tradition lives on, it's been over three decades that people have marched on Main street in Willimantic holding boom boxes while people watching from the street also bringing their own boom boxes. All the patriotic music syncs up from a local radio station to create the effect of a live marching band. Many people say they come every year for the parade.
"We have one boom box with us and ready to introduce the girls to a Willimantic tradition," said Lauren Exnicios, from Seattle but said she grew up in Willimantic.
"We come every year so it’s kind of like a tradition," said Sandra Mason, from Mansfield.
And even with the hot temperatures outside, many people tried to stay cool at the parade finding shade under trees along the way.