A convoy of hundreds of cars, trucks and motorcycles paraded down Route 30 on Sunday, with horns blaring, flags waving and shouts of “four more years.”
The parade, and the ensuing rally at Irwin Park, was held to support the reelection of President Trump.
Bruce Egan of North Huntingdon drove an antique tow truck decked out in Trump flags, Trump campaign signs and a sign saying “Back the Blue.”
“It’s a way that you can try to keep the country from going to hell,” Egan said. “I think Trump has changed the direction in a lot of ways.”
Egan said he supports Trump’s policies on abortion and immigration.
Mark Moss of North Huntingdon lives a block away from Egan, but they met for the first time at the parade and struck up a conversation.
Moss said the country is being divided by political extremism, particularly from the left.
“Political animus is rife, even in my own family,” Moss said.
Though he believes it is important to support the president, he didn’t think Sunday’s event would change any Democrats’ minds.
“They’re going to sit and say, ‘Those bunch of idiots,’ ” he said.
Egan was more hopeful.
“They’re going to sit and take notice, and say, ‘Maybe they’ve got a point,’ ” he said.
Parade participants gathered Sunday morning in the Norwin Hills Shopping Center. The pre-parade atmosphere was like a tailgate, with participants tossing a football around, chatting with fellow Trump supporters and playing country music from their truck radios.
From the shopping center, the parade traveled down Route 30 to Norwin Town Square, then back to Irwin Park for the rally, where local Republican officials addressed the crowd.
Irwin police escorted them.
Audrey Ward of North Huntingdon did not participate in the parade, but she showed up at the shopping center to watch and cheer it along.
“I think it’s great, showing support for our president,” she said. “It gives me goosebumps.”
Several local Trump supporters organized the event.
A Saxonburg woman who declined to give her name said she’s excited for a second Trump term.
“He’s kept every single promise he made,” she said. “Now we’re just waiting on the big one — drain the swamp.”
