T-L Photo/ROBERT A. DEFRANK Jennifer McMillen, administrative assistant for the city of St. Clairsville invites children to participate in the upcoming bike parade July 8. Prizes will be giving for outstanding costumes and decorated bicycles.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Youthful bicyclists will fly the stars and stripes on Main Street with the city’s yearly bike parade at 10-11 a.m., July 8.

Jennifer McMillen, administrative assistant at the city office, said this will mark the third such showcase.

The themes are related to the close-by July 4 holiday.

Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. on the courthouse steps. Judging will begin at 10:45 a.m.

“We’re going to coincide with Second Saturday with the (St. Clairsville Area Chamber of Commerce) to bring people into town,” she said, adding the events are typically a significant draw. “Last year we had about 50 kids.”

She added patriotic colors are welcome.

“They just decorate their bikes red, white and blue. They block off part of Main Street and drive their bikes up and down the street. They love it. They get to ride their bikes down the street and their parents don’t get to tell them: ‘Get out of the street!'” she said.

McMillen said the participants are always very imaginative in showcasing their bicycles.

“We always have a cop. Somebody dresses up as a cop. It’s very fun. There’s one kid, she turned her bike into a picnic table,” she said. “We had one kid turn it into a rocket, like a firecracker. It was pretty neat.”

Several locals have also volunteered as judges.

“We’ve got some judges. We’ve got some age groups and we’ve got some fun prizes,” she said. “We had some rotary members. We had somebody from the (American) Legion last year.”

Age groups are 2 years old and younger, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12 and 13-15.

“The prizes, I usually get them donated from various places around town,” McMillen said.

Bicycles will be awarded for the most patriotic, best costume, and most creative of each age group.

Wendy Anderson, director of the St. Clairsville Area Chamber of Commerce, said Second Saturdays will be held 11 a.m.-2 p.m. the second Saturdays of July and August, with the July 8 event the first official one of the year. Anderson said they were happy to partner with the bicycle event and add another draw to a fun day.

“We have a food truck. We have bouncy houses, and we also have a DJ and we have invited chamber members and non-chamber members to set up booths. If they want to, they can promote their business or they can sell their wares, whichever they want to,” she said. “Every store will be open in St. Clairsville, so it’s a great time to come out.”