STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

Ryan Redman called it a “moving meditation.”

But it hardly looked like anyone’s idea of a quiet peaceful focused meditation as the Flourish Foundation director, his children Taj and Satya and their friend Lela McGrew darted in and around parade entries on their unicycles in Hailey’s Days of the Old West Fourth of July parade, which celebrated the nation's 243rd birthday.

But it very much epitomized the homegrown flavor of the parade, which boasted a record 87 entries.

That grassroots flavor extended from Skylar Runswick, who paraded her rainbow-colored unicorn along Hailey’s Main Street, to the members of Hailey Climate Action Coalition, who toted signs exhorting spectators to “Don’t be a Fossil Fool,” and to remember: “We Raced to the Moon. Let’s Race to Clean Energy.”

Mary Ellen O’Leary covered her bike with patriotic dishtowels, which she planned to recycle into kitchen dishtowels when the parade was over.

And Elizabeth Jeffrey wore a solar charger bag on her back, which she uses every night to charge her cellphone.

“It’s for backpacking, but I put it on the dashboard. And I leave it on the windowsill when I’m at home,” she said.

The Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation endowed its Blue Bus with an Uncle Sam on the front grill, while young skiers waved flags out the windows. And D&S had a tin man standing atop its float waving a flag.

And Grand Marshal Lynn Campion waved from a horse and carriage.

Just in case the parade wasn’t colorful enough, you could always look to the youngsters lining the parade route.

They were decked out in red, white and blue tutus and onesies, while wearing all sorts of red, white and blue ornaments in their hair. The only thing that was missing was a fashion contest.

Of course, the youngsters were focused on one thing—and that was who was throwing what, from D.L. Evans’ Kelli Young all decked out in an Uncle Sam hat and red, white and blue tutu to the guys throwing miniature footballs and basketballs.

But the best part, according to 4-year-old Makenna Rogers?

"Candy!!!!"

All the red, white and blue  is apparently pretty normal for the Gem State. Idaho was determined to be the fifth most patriot state, following New Hampshire, Wyoming, Vermont and Utah.

The study by Wallet Hub looked at a combination of military engagement—that is, number of active-duty military members and veterans per capita-- and civic engagement to determine rankings.