Click photos to enlargeThere is nothing like a small-town parade on the 4th of July. The scientists and volunteers at the DRI Storm Peak Lab (SPL) in Steamboat Springs, Colo. participated in this year’s Steamboat Springs Fourth of July Parade. The parade theme was the “Greatest Summer on Earth.” For more than 100 years the residents of Steamboat Springs have celebrated Independence Day in true western fashion, with a rodeo, parade and historic pioneer events.

“We had a great time participating in the parade. The city has embraced the Lab and it is great to be a part of some such a warm, hard-working community,” said Gannet Hallar, Director ofStorm Peak Lab.

Steamboat Springs Fourth of July Parade“Joining in the festivities was also a great way to celebrate Storm Peak’s 30^th Anniversary,” Hallar added. Lab volunteer Blaze Arigo built the parade float highlighting the lab’s signature snowflake. Arigo and other volunteers worked hard this past winter launching hundreds of weather balloons for the Department of Energy StormVEX field campaign.