(Minghui.org) Vermont’s capital city, Montpelier, held a grand Independence Day parade to celebrate the United State’s 250th anniversary on July 3, 2026. Falun Dafa practitioners were invited to take part in the parade and were well-received by local residents.

Falun Dafa practitioners, invited to join the parade. (Minghui.org)

The celebrations consist of the parade, stage performances and a fireworks show. More than 55 community groups joined the celebrations. The parade route was lined with people and many came from the other states. This year, the New England Falun Dafa Association was once again invited to participate in the parade. Some people said that practitioners who were dressed in bright yellow T-shirts were a striking highlight of the parade.

The Falun Dafa group’s parade entry included a flag team, followed by practitioners demonstrating the exercises. Some people mimicked their exercise movements as they passed, while others recorded them with their mobile phones. People applauded enthusiastically, or cheered.

Donned in traditional silk satin costumes, practitioners also played the waist drums, and their cheerful drumbeats drew rounds of applause. Mark said he loved the waist drum team, “Their costumes are beautiful.” He also admired the waist drum teams’ performance.

His daughter, Sharelane, especially liked the exercise demonstration, “This is the first time I’ve seen exercise movements in a parade.” She found it very novel, “This is very cool. I saw that the people watching along the route also joined in and followed the practitioners to do the exercises. That feeling is very great.” Sharelane also felt positive energy from the exercise demonstration group. She said, “It is a happy and very good energy field. Just by standing near the group, makes the audience very happy.”

Mark (first on the right) and his daughter, Sharelane (second from the right) said they really appreciated the Falun Dafa group. (Minghui.org)

Michelle, who was visiting from another state, said she really liked the Falun Dafa group, explaining, “I feel they really brought very wonderful energy to the parade.”

Aaron talked to a practitioner and said he was interested in learning Falun Dafa, noting, “They all look like very happy and friendly people, so I feel that they must have experienced wonderful things in their lives.”