Kazoo Parade Creates a Buzz Around Nazareth

“By the end of the day, you’ll all be playing blues kazoos,” announced Grand Marshal Abbe Graber before the start of the seventh annual July 4th Kazoo Parade that marched through downtown Nazareth.

Hosted by the , the parade looked like a living American flag, and sounded like... well, a swarm of bees humming patriotic songs.

Marchers were divided into groups and each was assigned patriotic songs to play on the kazoo -- provided by  for those who didn't have one of their own.

Along the parade route, which started at , chamber president Tina Smith handed out more than 500 kazoos to parade watchers. Unable to fight the urge, most spectators were instantly transformed into kazoo players.

One kazoo player extraordinaire, Donna "The Kazoo Woman" Bankovic of Bethlehem, proudly marched in her third kazoo parade despite recently undergoing treatment for cancer. Bankovic played a custom-modified kazoo she called a Wazoogle.

At the end of the parade, Graber, also known as “Miss G," led the crowd in a stunning rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner."

U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent, state Rep. Joe Emrick and Col. James Follweiler spoke at a ceremony following the kazoo parade.

Follweiler -- spending the first summertime in four years in his hometown -- talked about friends who had experienced close calls while serving overseas and some who never made it home.

The annual parade was held in honor of the men and women serving in the U.S. armed forces.