Lafayette may have the Art and Wine Festival, but on the 4th of July, Moraga and Orinda are the destinations of choice for heartwarming, old fashioned Independence Day festivities that make even the most cynical among us smile, and will live forever in the memories of Lamorinda's children.

Monday dawned warm, promising a third day of heat as the anticipated cooling waited until later to materialize. In Orinda, an all-volunteer Big Band organized by Miramonte High School student Phil Hoxie performed in honor of the Educational Foundation of Orinda before the popular and always festive 4th of July Parade (see page C6 for photos of Orinda's celebration). Down the road in Moraga, children and bicycles flooded the path at the Moraga Commons Park, if ever so briefly, during the 4th of July Bike Parade.

The tables were turned on Moraga Police Officer Michael Dreyfuss. Dreyfuss, who usually tails others in a police cruiser, found himself being followed by an array of decked-out-for-the holiday bikes, trikes, scooters and wagons. Dreyfuss said he feels fortunate that Police Chief Robert Priebe allows him to swap his car for a bicycle "one day a year."

The bike route began at the flag pole and wound through display booths over to the band shell, where the group dispersed as quickly as they had assembled. The plan was two laps around, but the reality was a bit shorter -the lure of cotton candy, shaved ice, bounce houses and games proved too distracting.

The earlier part of the morning was for the dogs. They waited patiently, in the shade, politely socializing with others; the short and the tall, the large and the small, redheads, brunettes, blondes and the raven-haired, all decked out in their 4th of July finery. The annual Dog Parade featured over 420 legs and 70 tails, as the dogs and their proud owners joined the furry tradition. Red white and blue was the theme, and the dogs obliged by wearing hats, ties, sweatshirts, dresses and all manner of flag-print clothing. Every dog was a winner, said emcee and former mayor Rich Avanzino. The dogs earned a biscuit, water and lots of attention while their owners received a ribbon. Everyone, it seems...lapped up the attention.