For 12 years, all Pike County roads have led to China Grove on tJuly 4.

This year, those roads will be detoured to Meeksville.

“It is with much sadness that the China Grove Fourth of July Parade is now a thing of the past,” said Dianne LaFountaine, China Grove Parade chair. “But, there comes a time for all things to end and now is that time for the China Grove parade. But, happily, where there is an ending, there is a new beginning. It is exciting that China Grove is passing the parade torch to Meeksville, our neighbor and longtime supporter of the Fourth of July Parade.”

LaFountaine is continuing as the parade chair and said that she is doing all that she can to make sure the parade is a success.

“The Meeksville Volunteer Fire Department is excited to have the opportunity to sponsor the Fourth of July Parade,” said Alfred Alloway, fire chief. “We have been involved in the parade for years. Each year, our chicken and rib plates go like hot cakes. The Fourth of July Parade has given us a chance for a good fund-raiser for our volunteer fire department and that’s one reason that we want to carry the parade on.”

The other reason is that the China Grove parade had become a Fourth of July tradition that brought several thousand people to Pike County each year.

“A lot of people look forward to the Fourth of July Parade and we hope that they will continue to come to Meeksville,” Alloway said.

“The China Grove parade was always at 10 a.m. so we’ll start the Meeksville Fourth of July Parade at 11 a.m. just in case people don’t know that it has been changed and go to China Grove. We’ll have signs with directions to Meeksville and hope they’ll come on over here.”

The Fourth of July Parade will be an “anything goes” parade just as it was at China Grove.

Alloway said everyone is invited to join the fun, just a little farther “up the road.”

The Meeksville Volunteer Fire Department will have their famous barbecued chicken, prepared by Chicken Harvest and their finger-licking ribs.

“We’ll planning a big parade and hope that everyone will celebrate the Fourth of July at Meeksville,” Alloway said.

The parade will begin off U.S. Highway 231 north of Troy on County Road 7723 and follow a one-mile route and end at Harmony Community Park.