In a distinctly local tradition, the residents of Pitman began lining up their chairs on the Highland Terrace sidewalk for yesterday's Fourth of July parade more than a week ahead of time.

It's a tradition that's developed over the years.

"When I moved here 18 years ago, you'd come real early in the morning and put [the chairs] out," said Dawn Ritzler, cochair of the parade committee. "Then it got to be the night before. Now it's nine days before."

Pitman, a Gloucester County borough with 9,000 residents, has been staging the parade for longer than anyone can remember. Walt Madison, a parade committee volunteer, said he had a photo of the 1904 parade.

Nearly 100 organizations took part in this year's event. The local Boy Scouts troop, the fire patrol, the Lions Club, and many other groups had their turn marching down the parade route, which circled through the center of town.

Many residents said their favorite participant was Pitman's Original Hobo Band, a group dressed in ragged clothes that plays show tunes, big-band numbers, and patriotic anthems.

"It's their character," said Joseph Rehm, 30, who was at the parade with his extended family. The Hobo Band has "been around for a long time. They're part of the tradition."

Scott Andrews, 44, who lives in Ridgefield, Conn., but was visiting friends in Pitman, said he enjoyed seeing the cars in the parade.

His favorite? "The black Camaro," he said with a laugh.

Organizers estimated that more than 7,000 people showed up for the parade. The event's distinctly small-town vibe was in stark contrast to the Sunoco Welcome America! celebrations 20 miles away in Philadelphia.

However, many residents said they would take their parade over the big-city event any day.

Dick Metz, 65, who lives in nearby Mantua but grew up in Pitman, said the parade was a nice alternative to the Philadelphia event. "This has to be the small-town version," Metz said.

Nancy Doyle, 76, who's lived in Pitman all her life, said she prefers the Pitman parade these days.

"At this point in my life, yes," she said. "When I was younger, I liked to run to the city."

Linda Donovan, 46, said each event had something to offer.

"It's like apples and oranges," she said. "That's a big production. It's beautiful. But this is local. This is hometown America."