NEW IBERIA, La. (KLFY) – In downtown New Iberia, folks came out in their red, white and blue to celebrate America’s independence with the annual patriotic parade and ceremony to honor local veterans.

The Fourth of July parade featured local girl scouts and boy scout troops, pageant royalty and local officials.

Then shortly after, organizers hosted a patriotic ceremony with US Representative Clay Higgins as the guest speaker.

“We recall, we remember, sometimes with great pain, sometimes with tears in our eyes. We recall the price that has been paid for our freedom that we enjoy in our country,” Clay Higgins said in the speech.

The ceremony was composed of a 21 gun salute, a Civil War re-enactment, the laying of a memorial wreath and singing of the national anthem.

Organizers said it’s all to honor local veterans who sacrificed for our country.

Iberia Veterans Association President Bennie Schovasja served in the navy during the cold war.

“I was still over there not in the action but the semi action. I was on a sea going tanker and we refueled this ships out there on maneuvers,” Schovasja said.

We fought for our freedom from the British and then myself as a Veteran of the Vietnam war we fought to keep our freedom and we have veterans now who are fighting over seas again,” said Gerald Frick, local veteran.

Frick was there Tuesday evening to help out the community in a different way this independence day, raising money for scholarships.

“We collect money and give 1000 dollar scholarships to graduating seniors form the different high schools in Iberia Parish,” Frick said.

The evening ended with the retiring of the colors, and of course Taps, as residents celebrated their freedom.