As horses flicked their tails and gnawed on a bushy lawn outside a tall brick apartment building, charro riders from Asociación de Charros de la Mesa prepared their outfits and saddles for Evanston’s Fourth of July parade. An hour later, a breeze ruffled the strutting horses’ tails and saddle tassels as the Asociación de Charros.
After 14 months of life torn asunder by the pandemic, the holiday brought relief to Californians who are cautiously resuming the things they normally do, starting with barbecues and trips to the beach.