Aurora celebrates July 4th with scaled-back event

Richard Svoboda of Aurora drives an antique McCormick-Deering Farmall tractor while leading the Buchanan County Republicans float in the Fourth of July parade in Aurora on Saturday, July 4, 2020. This year's event was altered due to coronavirus concerns, including scaling back on some activities, asking parade entries not to throw candy, encouraging attendees to practice hygiene and social distancing, marking out spaces for spectators at the tractor pull, and disinfection of games. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)

Jerry Griffin (right) and Mike Reopke, both of Lamont and members of the Aurora American Legion Post 435, raise the American flag at the start of the Fourth of July celebration in Aurora on Saturday, July 4, 2020. Griffin addressed the coronavirus pandemic during his remarks following the flag raising. 'If we are to win this war, we must all do our part,' Griffin said. This year's event was altered due to coronavirus concerns, including scaling back on some activities, asking parade entries not to throw candy, encouraging attendees to practice hygiene and social distancing, marking out spaces for spectators at the tractor pull, and disinfection of games. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)

Spectators watch the tractor pull during the Fourth of July celebration in Aurora on Saturday, July 4, 2020. This year's event was altered due to coronavirus concerns, including scaling back on some activities, asking parade entries not to throw candy, encouraging attendees to practice hygiene and social distancing, marking out spaces for spectators at the tractor pull, and disinfection of games. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)

Are fire departments make their way down Main Street during the Fourth of July parade in Aurora on Saturday, July 4, 2020. This year's event was altered due to coronavirus concerns, including scaling back on some activities, asking parade entries not to throw candy, encouraging attendees to practice hygiene and social distancing, marking out spaces for spectators at the tractor pull, and disinfection of games. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)

Spectators line Main Street in family groupings to watch the Fourth of July parade in Aurora on Saturday, July 4, 2020. This year's event was altered due to coronavirus concerns, including scaling back on some activities, asking parade entries not to throw candy, encouraging attendees to practice hygiene and social distancing, marking out spaces for spectators at the tractor pull, and disinfection of games. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)

Dustin Hiatt of Aurora disinfects the steering wheel of the toy tractor between competitors in the kids' tractor pull during the Fourth of July celebration in Aurora on Saturday, July 4, 2020. This year's event was altered due to coronavirus concerns, including scaling back on some activities, asking parade entries not to throw candy, encouraging attendees to practice hygiene and social distancing, marking out spaces for spectators at the tractor pull, and disinfection of games. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)

Dustin Hiatt of Aurora disinfects the steering wheel of the toy tractor between competitors in the kids' tractor pull during the Fourth of July celebration in Aurora on Saturday, July 4, 2020. This year's event was altered due to coronavirus concerns, including scaling back on some activities, asking parade entries not to throw candy, encouraging attendees to practice hygiene and social distancing, marking out spaces for spectators at the tractor pull, and disinfection of games. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)

Kara Fenstermaker of North Liberty (left) helps her nephew Myles Gamm, 4, while competing in a waterball fight against her son Braylon Fenstermaker, 8, during the Fourth of July celebration in Aurora on Saturday, July 4, 2020. The Fenstermaker family was visiting Kara's grandmother. This year's event was altered due to coronavirus concerns, including scaling back on some activities, asking parade entries not to throw candy, encouraging attendees to practice hygiene and social distancing, marking out spaces for spectators at the tractor pull, and disinfection of games. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)

Spectators line Main Street to watch the Fourth of July parade in Aurora on Saturday, July 4, 2020. This year's event was altered due to coronavirus concerns, including scaling back on some activities, asking parade entries not to throw candy, encouraging attendees to practice hygiene and social distancing, marking out spaces for spectators at the tractor pull, and disinfection of games. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)

Keeley Lenox of Winthrop, 7, sports patriotic sunglasses while watching the Fourth of July parade with her family in Aurora on Saturday, July 4, 2020. This year's event was altered due to coronavirus concerns, including scaling back on some activities, asking parade entries not to throw candy, encouraging attendees to practice hygiene and social distancing, marking out spaces for spectators at the tractor pull, and disinfection of games. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)

Elliana Rausch, 9 mos., rides with her mother Alexis Rausch in a Fairbank volunteer fire department truck during the Fourth of July parade in Aurora on Saturday, July 4, 2020. This year's event was altered due to coronavirus concerns, including scaling back on some activities, asking parade entries not to throw candy, encouraging attendees to practice hygiene and social distancing, marking out spaces for spectators at the tractor pull, and disinfection of games. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)

Richard Svoboda of Aurora drives an antique McCormick-Deering Farmall tractor while leading the Buchanan County Republicans float in the Fourth of July parade in Aurora on Saturday, July 4, 2020. This year's event was altered due to coronavirus concerns, including scaling back on some activities, asking parade entries not to throw candy, encouraging attendees to practice hygiene and social distancing, marking out spaces for spectators at the tractor pull, and disinfection of games. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)

Amity Dunne, 5, of Hazleton competes in the kids' tractor pull contest during the Fourth of July celebration in Aurora on Saturday, July 4, 2020. This year's event was altered due to coronavirus concerns, including scaling back on some activities, asking parade entries not to throw candy, encouraging attendees to practice hygiene and social distancing, marking out spaces for spectators at the tractor pull, and disinfection of games. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)

Jairo Torres, 8, of Aurora, aims a fire hose while competing in a waterball fight during the Fourth of July celebration in Aurora on Saturday, July 4, 2020. This year's event was altered due to coronavirus concerns, including scaling back on some activities, asking parade entries not to throw candy, encouraging attendees to practice hygiene and social distancing, marking out spaces for spectators at the tractor pull, and disinfection of games. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)

Competitors aim fire hose streams at the waterball during the Fourth of July celebration in Aurora on Saturday, July 4, 2020. This year's event was altered due to coronavirus concerns, including scaling back on some activities, asking parade entries not to throw candy, encouraging attendees to practice hygiene and social distancing, marking out spaces for spectators at the tractor pull, and disinfection of games. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)