(Minghui.org) Known as the largest 4th of July Parade west of the Mississippi, the annual Huntington Beach parade attracts hundreds of thousands of people every year. Over 100 local Falun Dafa practitioners came together for the event this year, celebrating the special occasion with Southern Californians and tourists from other regions.

Practitioners performed the gentle exercises on an impressive “sail boat” float amidst decorative ocean waves and clouds, in keeping with the theme, “Waves of Freedom.”

Practitioners' sail boat float fit well with the parade theme “Waves of Freedom.”

Over 100 practitioners participated the parade as the only Chinese group

Falun Dafa Waist Drum Troupe

Falun Dafa Waist Drum Troupe

Practitioners presented a waist drum troupe, flag team, and dancing group. Many parade spectators clapped to the beat of the drums or offered warm applause.

On the four-mile parade route, practitioners distributed Falun Dafa pamphlets. Upon learning about the severe persecution in China, many people encouraged practitioners, saying, “Keep it up!”

Ms. Shi, who came from China to visit his daughter in Los Angeles, was impressed with the practitioners' procession. She said, “I can tell that people here join the parade voluntarily and wholeheartedly. In China, things like this are completely controlled by the Communist Party. The Party suppresses the people to avoid trouble.”

“It is like two different worlds,” said Ms. Shi.