PROVO — Swimming in a sea of red, white and blue shirts, tents, coolers and cookies, Utahns celebrated the Fourth of July in Provo at the ever popular Grand Parade.

One of the crowning events of America's Freedom Festival at Provo, the Grand Parade attracts thousands each year who line the streets and cheer for veterans, police officers and firefighters in expressions of patriotism and remembrances of freedom.

In an era of an unpopular war, presidential-campaign politics and an economic slump that has been marked by a credit crisis, upheaval in the stock market and a 5.5 percent jobless rate, several Utahns paused Friday to reflect upon the state of the United States.

"I think it definitely seems like things are changing," said Amy Nielsen, holding her 4-year-old daughter, Kenzie, as they watched a karate club kick its way down University Avenue.

"The way we live, the future of our country is going down a different path than we want," she said. "It will be interesting to see what happens after the election."

Nielsen, who's been coming to the parade for six years, said she is frustrated that she hasn't seen much emphasis on finding other sources of oil to eliminate our dependency on foreign countries.

"I'm still an optimist," said Robert Schloss of Orem. "I still believe we have a lot of room for improvement opportunities."

Sitting in a lawn chair along University Avenue, he called the economic downturn and America's dependence on foreign oil a "dose of reality."

"I'm old enough to remember the gas lines of the '70s," he said. "I remember things turning around and the next 20 years were of great affluence. We still have opportunities to make right choices."

Leo and Christy Penrod have been coming to the parade for nearly 30 years. Now, instead of bringing their young children, they are watching with their grown children and grandchildren.

"I'm a little bit pessimistic," Christy Penrod said, which is strange, she added, because she's usually quite optimistic. "I think things will probably come together, but with gas prices, people are more cautious. I think it will work out. It usually does."

Floats rolled down the streets carrying tiara-spangled city royalty waving to the cheering crowd. Fire trucks from several cities sprayed water, honked horns and turned on sirens, eliciting squeals from young children sitting on the curbs.

High school marching bands played "America the Beautiful" while the crowd clapped in cadence. Enjoying the parade from a blanket on the grass, Brigham Young University senior Chris Williams declared the country is in "lousy shape."