LEWISBURG — Though he’s usually the tallest person in Lewisburg’s annual Fourth of July parade, “Uncle Sam” was of normal height this year.

Art Bunce, who portrays Uncle Sam while striding down the street on stilts, was recovering from surgery this year and couldn’t walk on stilts. But he was there nonetheless, walking and handing out thousands of pieces of candy to children along the route.

Bunce, a retired federal prison guard, has become such a fixture in Lewisburg’s parade since he first donned his signature red, white and blue outfit in 1998 that he’s one of the first people the parade committee contacts each year.

“I look forward to doing the Lewisburg parade every year,” he said.

“It’s not a Fourth of July parade without Uncle Sam,” according to Graham Showalter, parade chairman.

Bunce receives many requests to portray Uncle Sam in parades, but Lewisburg’s is one he doesn’t want to miss.

He started out portraying a much different character, however. His first foray into parading on stilts was as the monster Frankenstein in 1996. He also wore a clown costume in several parades that year. He’s marched in parades in Danville, Northumberland, Sunbury and Watsontown in the monster and clown outfits.

His wife, Donna, custom sews his costumes.

“When he was first asked to be Uncle Sam in April 1998, I made his costume in two days,” she said.

Bunce learned to walk on stilts as a young man, when he worked as a drywall hanger.

“I strapped them on, and once I got up, I didn’t have any trouble,” he recalled. “It’s just like walking normally.”

The only time he has difficulty, he said, is when he can’t see his feet. He recalled falling only once.

“When I do parades, sometimes I’ll walk up to some old people sitting on a porch and give them some candy,” he said. “I did that one night in Watsontown, and I forgot about the curb when I walked back to the parade, so down I went. I got right back up, though.”

Bunce enjoys his role.

“I do it for the kids,” he said. “I really enjoy doing things for little kids.”