Veterans and community members alike turned out in support of the flag Sunday evening, during the city's 26th annual God, Country and Community Flag March.
According to organizers, a record crowd of about 1,000 people walked down West Fourth Street, carrying flags both large and small that rose above the crowd to create a patriotic skyline of red, white and blue.
"It's too bad we can't have this every day," said Army Staff Sgt. Chris Bain of Newberry, before he led the throng to its destination at Pennsylvania College of Technology. "It'd be impressive to show our colors. I show mine 365 days a year, seven days a week."
Bain, a Purple Heart awardee who acted as grand marshal in the event, is a former soldier who was injured by a mortar shell explosion in Iraq in 2004 and spent three years in the Walter Reed Army Hospital.
Daphne Shorlo watched the parade from West Fourth Street with her two children, David, 4, and Michael, 7.
Having grown up in the city, Shorlo said she's been to the event before, but this year came out to watch mainly for her kids.
"I want them to learn a lot of stuff - respect, how to treat other people," Shorlo said, saying she also wants her sons to know about the flag and what it stands for as well as what the nation's been through.
Loyalsock Township resident and Marine Corps veteran George Bitner also stood along the curb as the crowd funneled out of the West Fourth and Hepburn streets parking lot.
"I love this country. I love that flag," Bitner said. "There's a lot of men who died for it."
Dave Sileo, an Old Lycoming Township resident and member of the Williamsport "Don't Tread On Me" Tea Party Group, said he participated in the parade in support of the country and the troops.
Sileo and Pat Counsil of the city said they want to see the nation return to the ideas on which it was founded.
"It was so much fun," said Cecilia Carson, who is visiting from Los Angeles, Calif. "I felt the unity. The tradition of it is very special - the idea of the town coming together."
State Sen. E. Eugene Yaw, R-Loyalsock Township, addressed the group at Penn College, noting the flag as something that immigrants clutched in their hands and as a "national treasure purchased with the blood of soldiers and patriots."
"Today, we honor the American flag as a symbol of freedom and hope of what makes this country great," Yaw said. "To honor the flag is to honor the nation."
City Mayor Gabriel J. Campana rallied attendees by calling to mind the men and women who served and continue to serve the nation for freedom, remarking on the nation being built in the name of God.
The Repasz Band and Spring Street Quartet provided patriotic songs.
Awards handed out included: Largest Scout Group, which was given to Boy Scout Group and Pack 38 with 80 members; Largest Youth Group went to Annunciation Church, which had 40 people; Largest Church Group to The Catholic Daughters, with five participants; Largest Family Group to the Matz family with eight members; Largest Fraternal Group to VFW 7863 with 12 people marching; and the Best Stroller Award to the Counsil twins.
Event organizer Tony DiSalvo, who has spearheaded the event from since 1983, gave out his "Tony" Awards to groups that have significantly helped the march year after year. Those awards went to the Repasz Band and the Korean War Veterans.
