Altoona brings back Fourth of July parade after a long absence. Here's the route.

Altoona is reviving a major summer tradition it hasn't seen in years.

The suburb's Fourth of July parade, which starts at 10 a.m. Monday, July 4, will begin by the library, 700 8th St. S.W., and run east along 8th Street before ending by Haines Park, off the intersection of 8th Street and 3rd Avenue Southeast. There will be an ice cream social at Haines Park following the parade.

The Altoona Area Historical Society is hosting the parade, which has about 40 groups signed up to participate, including some that will have multiple displays.

"It'll be a great opportunity to celebrate the Fourth of July in a way that hasn't been done in Altoona in more than 25 years," said Alex Payne, the president of the historical society. 

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He said that the parade will be something else for the community to celebrate with alongside the large fireworks displays at Adventureland and Prairie Meadows.

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"Being able to bring that small-town tradition back is exciting," Payne said. "That's another reason we decided to add the ice cream social as another way for the community to come together and have that small-town feeling, even though Altoona continues to keep growing."

Organizers hope the event will grow year by year. Information about volunteering is available online, including on the historical society's Facebook page.

Payne said that people wonder every year if Altoona has a Fourth of July parade.

"I think it's exciting to be able to see the community come together and have something that the community's asked for for a long time," he said. 

Chris Higgins covers the eastern suburbs for the Register. Reach him at chiggins@registermedia.com or 515-423-5146 and follow him on Twitter @chris_higgins_.