By David Rosen

What do decorated bikes, families and friends, and dressed up kids have in common? If you guessed it was for the West Seattle 4th of July Children's Parade, you're correct.

Today marked the annual 4th of July parade whose route runs from 44th Ave SW down Sunset Ave SW across California Ave SW and finishes at Hamilton Viewpoint. Attendance was down significantly this year with an estimaged 600 people in attendance compared to last year's approximately 2500.

Sherry Chun who has been running the parade for the last 5 years told the West Seattle Herald, " What makes this parade so fantastic is the people, but especially the kids " This parade originally started 18 years ago by the Kane family. It started out small as just a neighborhood event and has grown into a West Seattle parade event.

Other people among the crowd were King County Council Member Joe Mcdermott, Rodger Scholten who sang the national anthem, pus the Princesses and Queen for the 2012 Hi-Yu festival.