‘We see patriotism’: Trump boat parade on High Rock Lake attracts hundreds
Published 5:45 pm Saturday, July 18, 2020
Josh Bergeron / Salisbury Post - Boats parade toward the main channel of High Rock Lake Saturday.
Josh Bergeron / Salisbury Post - Hundreds of boats and even more people gathered Saturday at Tamarac Marina for the start of a Trump boat parade on High Rock Lake.
Josh Bergeron / Salisbury Post - A woman tosses her fist in the air Saturday after the National Anthem finished just before a Trump boat parade on High Rock Lake.
Josh Bergeron / Salisbury Post - People gathered on the shores of High Rock Lake to watch the Trump boat parade on Saturday.
Josh Bergeron / Salisbury Post - People gathered on the shore at Tamarac Marina to watch boaters set off for a parade on High Rock Lake.
Josh Bergeron / Salisbury Post - People gathered on the shore at Tamarac Marina to watch boaters set off for a parade on High Rock Lake.
Josh Bergeron / Salisbury Post - Boats parade toward the main channel of High Rock Lake Saturday.
By Natalie Anderson
natalie.anderson@salisburypost.com
SALISBURY — Hundreds of boats on Saturday decorated with American flags and others flags in support of President Donald Trump floated across High Rock Lake as others braved the heat and watched the Trump boat parade from the shore.
“We see patriotism,” said Sylvia Andrews, one attendee at the parade.
Andrews said it was encouraging to see so many other Trump supporters, and added that she was excited about the turnout. Parade organizers Anna Garrison and Genny Duncan previously told the Post they weren’t expecting hundreds of people when they planned the event. The pair proposed the idea after seeing other similar boat parades across the nation. In 2016, Trump won Rowan County with 66.51% of the vote, or 42,810 votes.
The parade started in the Tamarac Marina area, while the largest crowd stood next to the restaurant or sat in lawn chairs. The parade began around 11 a.m. following a prayer, the National Anthem by Angela Ford and a speech on Trump’s behalf.
Sen. Carl Ford attended the parade with his wife, Angela, and said he “thought it was great.
“I was glad to see all the boats and folks around. Pretty impressive,” Ford said.
Amid COVID-19, Garrison and Duncan said being outside was beneficial because it allowed for social distancing. Few masks were worn among the onlookers.
Some Trump supporters who attended were from other states. Jenni Cotrell, from Louisiana, heard about the parade while visiting her mom in a local hospital.
John Cromwell, from Ohio and visiting some family members who are ill, said it was “a great day for a good cause.”
“We want to vote for a law-and-order president,” Cromwell said.
Also during the parade, Ed Andrade, a field organizer for Trump’s presidential campaign in North Carolina, helped some in attendance register to vote. Among the newly registered voters was Savannah Tilley, a 21-year-old who will be a first-time voter in November.
The parade attracted people from surrouding counties, too. Cabarrus County resident Sylvia Beaty said she was happy to be with other “patriots.” She’s attended multiple Trump rallies and has a ticket to the Republican National Convention, where Trump is expected to accept the Republican nomination. It was originally planned to take place in Charlotte, but has since moved to Jacksonville, Florida.
In addition to the hundreds of boats flying flags in support of Trump and some Confederate flags was a single boater who flew an anti-Trump flag. Attached to his boat was a poster that included the words “Hate, Deficit$, Lies, Tweets, Sexism, Racism, ?Genius?, Megalomaniac, You’re Fired.”
Another event planned for the day was a 2:30 p.m. concert from Dan Whisky Band near the water, and a 6 p.m. concert at Tamarac Marina.
Editor’s Note: Sylvia Andrews is a former Post employee.
Contact reporter Natalie Anderson at 704-797-4246.
About Natalie Anderson
Natalie Anderson covers the city of Salisbury, politics and more for the Salisbury Post. She joined the staff in January 2020 after graduating from Louisiana State University, where she was editor of The Reveille newspaper. Email her at natalie.anderson@salisburypost.com or call her at 704-797-4246.
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