TEMECULA -- Old Town drew plenty of newcomers for Temecula's 17th annual Fourth of July Parade on Saturday morning, while the longtime residents headed to Ronald Reagan Sports Park for the Fun in the Park and Fireworks Show later that night.

The Walker family, who moved to Temecula from Oregon last year, was among thousands of people who lined the sidewalks of Old Town wearing red, white and blue and waving American flags. They had seats right at the end of the route for their first Temecula parade.

"It was too packed in there," Barbara Walker said, pointing toward the rest of the parade route. "We still get to enjoy it from here."

Tim Walker, sitting with Timmy, 11, and Jacob, 5, said the family came out to celebrate Independence Day, and they plan to come again.

About the same time the Walkers were getting ready to watch the parade, Dick and Robin Caneday were staking their plot of land at the sports park, making sure they would have the location they wanted for the fireworks show that was still 12 hours away.

"We've been doing this for 20 years," Robin Caneday said. "We park our car, put our chairs out and walk home."

They were back at the park by midday, sitting in the shade and enjoying snacks such as chicken, salads and ice cream as the younger members of their 28-person entourage were playing in the park.

Back at the parade, dancers and cheerleaders, equestrian units, public officials, sports cars, Boy and Girl Scouts, and fire trucks were among the 60 entries that traveled north on Old Town Front Street.

The parade seemed to be a magnet for newcomers.

Camp Pendleton-based Marine Sgt. Lance Heidemann, wife Shelly and daughters Chloe, 4, and Evelyn, 2, moved to Temecula last year.

"We saw (the parade) online and wanted something different than Oceanside," Shelly Heidemann said. "This is a lot nicer."

Twirlers, cheerleaders and horses proved popular with the Heidemann girls.

The Nault family doesn't even live in Southwest County, but one visit to the parade had them hooked.

Randy Nault, wife Kate and children Michael, 8, and Mikayla, 6, who live in Yucaipa, were visiting the area and decided to take in the parade.

"We're going to make it a tradition every year," Kate Nault said.

Joining the newcomers were parade veterans Jeff and Lisa Dualan of Menifee, who were there with their three children and two other young relatives.

They said they started coming to the parade in 1997, when they lived in Temecula.

"You can still see your neighbors and friends," Jeff Dualan said. "It's not a big production. That makes it nicer."

Lisa Dualan said the parade helps Temecula keep its small-town feel, even though it has grown so much.

Robin Caneday said the same thing about the day at the park.

"There's so many more people now, but you still have that feeling of a small town even with 100,000 people," Caneday said.

The small-town feel of the events was not by accident, according to Herman Parker, Temecula's community services director.

"We try to do that intentionally," Parker said. "We want to keep that small-town feel."

Parker said the event at the park usually draws about 14,000 people, and he estimated the parade crowd at around 10,000.

He said roughly 50 city employees worked the two events, not counting law enforcement officials, who had a large presence at both locations.

At the parade, one group of marchers was trying to keep the past alive. The American Civil War Society had more than 40 members marching in period costumes.

"We do this to honor those who died to keep this country going," said Shelly Peters of Nuevo. "And, we look for any excuse to get together."

Besides parades and educational programs, the group participates in Civil War re-enactments.

Peters said that being in the group was a way to show her patriotism, even if it meant wearing 10 pounds of clothing, including a heavy hoop skirt, on a 90-plus degree morning.

"It becomes not what we do, but who we are," she said of the group.

Another parade entry had people seeing double. Members of the Temecula Valley Mothers of Multiples were pushing double strollers containing adorable twin siblings up Old Town Front Street.

The group offers support and activities for mothers of twins, triplets and other multiple births.

There are 57 moms in the group, which dates to 1984, said club president Mona Willcutt of Murrieta.

Willcutt said the group was in the parade for the second year, in part to raise awareness of its existence and also as a fun activity for members.

A Fourth of July parade would not be complete without military veterans. Among those participating was the Wildomar Veterans of Foreign Wars chapter, which invited some active-duty Marines to ride on its float.

"There's still a lot of veterans out there. When they come home, people should be proud of them," member Mike Sheehan said.

Sheehan, who served in the Navy from 1969 to 1973, said troops coming home these days get a lot better reception than the veterans of his era.

"After 9/11, a lot more people became aware of what veterans stand for," he said.

Call staff writer Craig Shultz at 951-676-4315, ext. 2625.