BRISTOL — If it was just a matter of seeing a parade on Sunday, Kenosha County residents could have driven north and joined the thousands who lined the streets for that other float and pony show — the Great Circus Parade.

But the hundreds of people who sat on blankets, reclined in lawn chairs and enjoyed the shade of a neighbor’s tree in western Kenosha County had reasons for committing to the Bristol Progress Days Parade.

At the top of Rich Schultz’s list: “We live in Bristol!”

Schultz watched marching bands and classic cars line up for the afternoon parade as he sat on the back of Cub Scout Pack 385’s homage to camping. The float included a mock campfire, real marshmallows and a star-spangled tent for pseudo-campers, including Colton Schultz, 7; Tommy Koralik, 8; and Josh Fugate, 10.

Rick Koralik made the trek from across the street to help wrangle Cub Scouts onto the float, parked near 82nd Street and 202nd Avenue.

“It’s just fun to come out of your house, sit right out in front and watch everybody go by,” he said.

Ralph Fugate came to support his son and his town.

“It’s a friendly, outgoing town. We’ve gotta show support,” Fugate said.

Chris Lawrence brought his family — wife, Anne, and daughters Natalie, 4½, and Paige, 6 months — from Highland Park, Ill., to see the parade and visit family. His brother, Andrew Lawrence, lives in Bristol with his wife, Beth, and their daughters — Becca, 12; Caitlyn, 10, and Claire, 8 — who rode on the Bristol Strivers 4-H Club float.

It was little Paige’s first parade — she mostly slept through it — and big sister Natalie’s first time to scramble after candy, which her mom collected in a green, reusable shopping bag as they sat in the cool grass at the corner of 82nd Street and 201st Avenue.

“This is really fun,” Chris Lawrence said. “If you go to the Circus Parade up there, you can be with 10,000 other people. But, here, it’s nice. It’s quiet. And they throw candy!”

Beth Lawrence appreciated the community dynamic, played out with backyard barbecues and pool parties after the parade.

“We’ll pick our kids up from the float and we’ll go house to house,” she said.

That’s what the parade meant to Art Swanson, who rode a 49cc Honda Panda with the Tebala Mini Bikes group, based in Rockford, Ill.

“We do it for the kids. We ride so they can watch,” said Swanson, of Belvedere, Ill.

Any pay the riders get goes to Children’s Hospital in Chicago.

“It’s really, truly amazing to see how much they appreciate it, to see kids smile and have fun,” Swanson said.

That’s what it’s all about.