Masses of people at the Lexington Independence Day parade strained their eyes against the bright midday sun watching for Lexington skydiver Bernard Williams in the mostly clear blue sky (click here for photo)
Then they spotted him at the front end of a plume of smoke, spiraling down to land on Main Street, kicking off the parade.
"When I'm at about 300 feet, I can hear the crowd just like a NASCAR race," said Williams, 65, of Wild Wind Skydivers.
He may have been more exposed to the elements than most people, but the pervasive sunny, 70-degree weather left people of all ages feeling pleased to celebrate the holiday outside, especially along the water.
Also at the 65-float parade were Nicholas and Kyle Barnhart, 12 and 10, of Lexington and Benjamin and Earl Brockman, 9 and 11, of Croswell, looking to the sky and calling out the colors of balloons let loose by other kids lining the street.
"We're trying to see who can spot the balloons and call them first," Nicholas Barnhart said, quickly calling "red" as his brother lost his grip on a balloon.
Families and friends got together at Lakeside Park in Port Huron to eat and play.
Edina Hadzic of Warren said her family came to watch the boats in Lake Huron and grill lunch, including chicken wings and cevap, a salty Bosnian minced beef dish.
Joseph Flores, 24, of Allen Park came with friends, his wife, Danielle Flores, 24, and one-year-old son, Joseph Jr.
They played football and horseshoes, planned to head for the water later in the afternoon, and "Just hang out until we get kicked out, I guess," Joseph Flores said.
Algonac Mayor James Wisdom said his town was fairly busy Saturday afternoon, with people on carnival rides and playing bingo at the Algonac Lions Club's Pickerel Tournament, but he expected the real action to start when the sun started to dip and visitors turned out for the fireworks.
Wisdom said softball players from West Bloomfield in his 55-and-older league have talked about the city's Pickerel Tournament simply through word of mouth.
"This is the biggest thing of the year, no doubt about it," he said. "By God, I don't know how many thousands will be down there tonight, but it'll be a ton."
All the celebration in the world doesn't take away the real meaning of the holiday, said retired Air Force Staff Sgt. Kirk Shoults, 66, of Lexington.
He gave as an example a group of men at Lexington Beach he saw preparing to play horseshoes Saturday. They opened their private game by singing the national anthem.
"I think it rejuvenates the spirit of our freedom, and what we sacrificed for, and what many have served for."