RAYMOND — This may be a small town, but it knows how to do a big parade.

And that is just what townspeople did on Wednesday morning for the Fourth of July.

Hundreds of happy families lined the streets of downtown wearing red, white and blue and waving American flags passed out early in the parade by Hannaford employees and other volunteers.

Before the parade even started, children in the know had just one expectation: the candy.

The parade is an annual event for many local families, including the Farrells and the Cleggs, both of Raymond.

Cousins Olive Clegg, 2, and her cousin Jackson Farrell, 3, each sucked on lollipops and waved their flags as the floats and walking groups passed by.

“They look forward to the candy,” Jennifer Farrell said.

The two families planned to spend the rest of the day at “Meme and Grampy's” house on Governor's Lake swimming, fishing, tubing, eating a lot of food and drinking some “adult juice,” Jennifer Farrell said.

It seems almost everyone in town not watching was participating in the parade. Businesses, nonprofit organizations, town officials, town departments, churches, community groups, musicians and the Shriners with their mini-cars all participated in the parade, which lasted more than an hour.

Geoff and Karen Sylvester moved to Raymond from California three years ago with their daughters, Camryn, 6, and Brooklyn, 4, and said they look forward to the two or three parades the town puts on each year.

Geoff Sylvester said the parades are good for bringing people together throughout the year.

“You see the same people each time,” he said.

After the event, a small celebration was held in the town common. The event served as a prelude to the festivities ahead during the weekend of July 13, 14 and 15 at the Raymond Town Fair.

gmacalaster@newstote.com